Jessica Sansome

Hayden Panettiere discussed in a final interview how a life-threatening childbirth, postnatal depression and alcohol dependency contributed to her 2018 decision to transfer custody of her daughter Kaya to her former fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. She said the decision was made so she could seek treatment and prioritize her daughter's wellbeing, while emphasizing that she remained closely connected to Kaya. Panettiere also described the emotional pain of being separated from her daughter in her memoir. Her death at age 36 was announced on August 17, 2026; no cause of death had been disclosed at the time of publication.