Hayden Panettiere's mum explains why Wladimir Klitschko took over full custody of daughter
Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother has revealed what she believes the 'catalyst' was that led her to give up custody of her daughter.
The actress who was famed for her roles in Scream, Heroes and Nashville was sadly found dead on 16 August. Her cause of death currently remains unclear.
As tributes continue to pour in for Panettiere, her mother Lesley Vogel has spoken out about their strained relationship and how she believes her daughter 'sadly lost her way'.
Famous faces who had an early start in the entertainment industry like the late actress have been speaking out about the lack of protection child stars receive, including Anna Paquin.
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Others have called out the treatment that Panettiere was subjected to in her younger years by 'predatory' photographers, while previous comments made by the star herself have also resurfaced.
The mother-of-one claimed in 2022 that she had been given 'happy pills' before red carpet appearances - and each of these elements have prompted fans to probe the people who were around her at the time.
On Monday (24 August), British singer James Blunt addressed rumours alleging that he might have been the 'very famous undressed man' who Panettiere claimed she was 'put in bed with' at the age of 18.
In the eyes of her mother Vogel, her daughter's volatile relationship with her former partner Brian Hickerson - who is believed to be one of the last people to see her alive - has a lot to do with her 'demons'.
During an interview with ABC News, the former momager hit out at people criticising how she 'mourns the loss of her second child' and said she has been left 'numb' by the news of Panettiere's passing.
"I still am not grasping this is real," Vogel said. "It just doesn't feel real. My mind tells me it's not at times. You know, it's going to be a process."
Panettiere gave custody of her daughter Kaya, who she welcomed into the world in 2014, to her ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko when the little girl was four years old.
She previously opened up about experiencing a traumatic birth which required her to subsequently receive seven blood transfusions and three hours of surgery - and during her recovery, she realised that 'something was terribly, terribly wrong', as she discussed her struggle with postpartum depression.
The screen star said it was an 'incredibly difficult' decision to give Klitschko custody but believed it was one that was best for Kaya.
"I never felt any hostility or negativity towards my child, thankfully. But I wasn't connecting with her the way I should be," she told the Jay Shetty Podcast previously.
"I was full of stress and anxiety the whole time, and what I was doing to suppress those emotions was not normal and it was not healthy.
"I was miserable, I was in tears all the time - even though the alcohol helped my nervous system calm down, it is a depressant, so over time it made things worse," she said.
According to Vogel, this was the 'catalyst' that caused Panettiere to grow even closer to her on-off boyfriend Hickerson.
"That was probably the catalyst,” she said. “In my opinion, that was the catalyst that she just couldn't keep those demons away. I think she struggled, and Brian came into her life. She was vulnerable."
Topics: Hayden Panettiere, Parenting, Celebrity News
Olivia Burke