Overview
- Klitschko filed a petition on Thursday asking a Los Angeles probate court to name him temporary guardian of 11-year-old Kaya’s estate so he can have legal standing to open probate on her behalf.
- The court papers say the step is urgent because there is no personal representative to protect Kaya’s rights as Panettiere’s sole heir and to nominate an estate administrator.
- The filing alleges that non-family individuals accessed Panettiere’s accounts and home, some personal items including jewelry are missing or held by law enforcement, and federal agents removed property during the ongoing investigation.
- Panettiere died on August 16 and the Greenville County coroner later ruled her death accidental from the toxic effects of fentanyl and other drugs, and Klitschko’s petition seeks to coordinate with investigators to recover estate property.
- A hearing is pending to decide the request and its outcome could determine who manages Panettiere’s California assets for Kaya and how investigators and the court handle the return or accounting of seized items.