Hayden Panettiere Spoke About Giving Up The Custody Of Her Daughter, 'It's Going To Damage My Child'

Months before her death, Hayden Panettiere revealed why she gave up custody of her daughter, Kaya.

Hayden Panettiere unexpectedly passed away on August 16, 2026. The actress, who portrayed 'Lizzie Spaulding' in Guiding Light and later became well-known for her roles in Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, Heroes, and Nashville. The actress had to give up custody of her only daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko, to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. She once spoke about the heart-wrenching moment and why she chose to relinquish Kaya’s full custody.

Hayden Panettiere revealed why she gave up custody of her only daughter, Kaya

Hayden welcomed her daughter, Kaya, with her ex-fiancé, former world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, in December 2014. After the birth of Kaya, Hayden experienced severe postpartum depression and also battled addiction. After Hayden and Klitschko separated in 2018, custody of Kaya was awarded to her father, which was a painful moment for Hayden.

To give Kaya a stable and secure life, Hayden gave up full custody of her then three-year-old daughter. Hayden’s relationship with her daughter, Kaya, has always been a subject of public curiosity. There had been reports that Hayden had abandoned her daughter. The actress later pushed back, stating that she voluntarily chose to let Kaya live with her father because she believed it was the best option for her daughter at the time.

She also pointed out that she knew Kaya was safe and well cared for with Klitschko. Although Kaya lives in Europe with her father, Hayden revealed the distance never weakened their relationship. In many of her interviews, Hayden said she visited Kaya when possible and stayed in regular contact through FaceTime when they were apart.

Hayden Panettiere shared that losing Kaya’s custody was ‘Gut-Wrenching’

Kaya has largely remained out of the public eye. Hayden was protective of her daughter’s privacy and spoke about wanting her to have a normal childhood without any public attention. Months before her death, Hayden spoke about the painful decision of giving up the custody of her daughter. In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Hayden explained why she allowed ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko to take full custody of their daughter and wrote:

“When I saw her in the environment over there and the support system that she had, I said to myself, ‘If I fight… it’s going to permanently damage my child.' Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it’s hard to describe the layers of emotion, including sadness, resentment, and anger, I’ve felt because of it.”

Hayden faced a traumatizing moment before Kaya’s birth. The doctors warned of complications, and she endured a life-threatening delivery requiring emergency surgery and seven blood transfusions. Recalling the same, she once said, “I almost passed away while having my daughter.” But post her delivery, Hayden suffered severe postpartum, which she thought was just ‘baby blues’. She couldn’t bond with her child, and her anxiety eventually led her to alcohol. Speaking about the same, she told Fox News:

“When you wake up in the morning, and the first thing you’re thinking about is having a drink.”

Despite her immense love for her daughter, Kaya, Hayden Panettiere gave up her custody to give her a better life.

Also Read: Hayden Panettiere Was Last Seen With Ex-BF, He Admitted Becoming Abusive Toward Her, 'I Said... Run'