Wladimir Klitschko has won emergency legal authority to protect the inheritance of his 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, amid allegations that someone close to Hayden Panettiere sold the late actress’ jewelry to a pawn shop.
The former boxing champion appeared remotely in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday, alongside Kaya, who briefly spoke to the judge.
“Was that you, Kaya?” Judge Stephanie Santoro asked.
“Yes, that was me,” the youngster answered.
Her appearance came nearly two months after the Nashville actress died unexpectedly at 36.
Klitschko’s attorney, Diane Park, explained why the family needed immediate legal protection over Panettiere’s belongings.
“There’s currently an ongoing investigation concerning [Panettiere], so we need to have an administrator appointed to be able to interface with the investigators,” Park said.
Court filings also allege that unidentified individuals previously connected to Panettiere accessed and destroyed her emails. Klitschko claimed a pawn shop refused to provide information about the missing jewelry without police involvement.
Judge Santoro granted his request, allowing him to work with authorities to recover property and manage certain financial obligations on Kaya’s behalf.
The temporary appointment lasts until a Dec. 7 hearing.
Panettiere died Aug. 16 in South Carolina. Authorities determined that fentanyl and other drugs caused her accidental death. Kaya, whom Panettiere shared with her former fiancé, stands to inherit her mother’s estate.