Hayden Panettiereappears to be assuring fans she’s okay followingBrian Hickerson‘s recent domestic battery charge.
Over the weekend, theNashvillestar, 30, tweeted then deleted a photo of her 5-year-old daughterKaya Evdokiaholding hands with boxerWladimir Klitschko, Panettiere’s ex with whom she shares the child. “Best father ever,” she wrote along with the snapshot, according toE! News.
A Twitter user confused Klitschko, 43, for Panettiere’s recent on-off boyfriend Hickerson — who wasarrestedonValentine’s Dayfollowing a domestic dispute in Wyoming — replying to Panettiere’s since-deleted post, “Before or after he beat you.”
Panettierewroteback: “Wrong guy. Klitschko’s r legends. That’s my CHAMP.”
When another concerned fan commented asking if the actress was okay after the headline-making charges against Hickerson, Panettiere replied with reassurances.
“Always good ?,” sheresponded.
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Panettiere and Hickerson began dating after reports circulated that she and then-fiancéKlitschkohad split in August 2018.
PEOPLE previously reported that Panettiere’s relationship with Hickersondrew concernfrom those close to the Golden Globe–nominated actress, especially after they were reportedly involved in adrunken altercationwith his father in October 2018, prompting a visit from police. (No arrests were made.)
Hickerson waschargedwith one count of felony domestic violence on May 23 and pleaded not guilty, a spokesperson for the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
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In July 2019, Hickerson reportedly appeared in court as a Los Angeles superior judge listened to the testimony from the police officer who responded to the domestic violence call on May 2. During the hearing, the judge denied the motion to dismiss criminal charges against Hickerson and declined to consider a lesser misdemeanor charge.
While Hickerson was facing up to four years in prison if convicted, his case was dismissed at the end of September.
“The case against Brian Hickerson was dismissed without prejudice today,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told PEOPLE at the time. “Our office was unable to proceed because we could not secure a material witness. Theprotective orderalso was dismissed.”
Hickerson is reportedly due to appear in court on March 12 for the most recent charges.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
