Hayden Panettiere Said Giving Up Full Custody of Daughter Kaya, 11, Was 'Gut-Wrenching' Experience — Just Months Before Her Tragic Death at 36
Hayden Panettiere opened up about her relationship with daughter, Kaya.
Aug. 17 2026, Published 12:25 p.m. ET
Months before her tragic death at 36, Hayden Panettiere opened up about her relationship with daughter, Kaya.
The young actress previously struggled with alcohol and opioid abuse. During a low time in her life, Pannettiere gave up custody of her daughter, which she described as "the most gut-wrenching experience," RadarOnline.com has learned.
Hayden Panettiere Identifies Most Difficult Part of Giving Up Custody
Panettiere died on Sunday.
Panettiere discussed her tribulations with parenting. She admitted perhaps the most difficult part of her custody struggle was "not being under the same roof with her every day." In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she wrote, "It’s hard to describe the layers of emotion – including sadness, resentment, and anger – I’ve felt because of it,” she wrote.
After Kaya's arrival, Panettiere struggled with her mental health and her drinking issues began to heighten. She described life living with Kaya, who is now 11, admitting that she experienced relief when her daughter wasn't there to witness how much alcohol she needed to go to work.
Panettiere 'Felt Nothing' After Birth
Panettiere was candid about her postpartum depression.
However, the motherly connection did not come naturally with Kaya. Panettiere "felt nothing" after delivering her daughter in 2014. The actress confessed to struggling with bonding with the baby.
She was ultimately diagnosed with postpartum depression. Her prescribed medication only became another issue for her as she "couldn't sleep" without taking them.
When Kaya was only 4 months old, Panettiere first entered treatment for her dependency.
“I walked into rehab addicted to one substance, and I walked out, completely dependent on something else,” she recalled.
Wladimir Klitschko Approached Her With Custody Papers
She admitted to having the means to financially fight Wladimir Klitschko's custody request.
Amid her struggles, her relationship with her ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko began to crumble. Klitschko, while attempting to be supportive, struggled to comprehend why she was unable to find happiness.
"We have a nice life. You have a nice life," Panettiere recalled him once saying.
As Kaya went back and forth between the parents, Klitschko approached Panettiere with custody papers. He admitted to feeling worried while Kaya was with her.
Panettiere was initially reluctant to give up custody, but decided during recovery that it was the right move. Financially, she was capable of taking the issue to court – emotionally, she was not.
The moment of signing the papers became ingrained in her mind. “I remember every second of that day. Every f---ing second,” she wrote. “No mother could forget a single thing about the day she signed her child away.”
Panettiere Died Due to Potential Overdose
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Her official cause of death is unknown.
Panettiere died on Sunday.
In a statement to ABC News, her father confirmed, "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen."
Her cause of death was not immediately available. First responders on the scene discussed a "cardiac arrest," which was seemingly linked to an overdose," of an "unidentified" woman. While they attempted to save her life, she was pronounced dead on the scene.
Foul play was not suspected.
