Hayden Panettiere's Mom Says She's Glad Estate Will Likely Go to Granddaughter

Hayden Panettiere's mom says she's glad her late daughter's estate will likely go to Kaya -- Hayden's 11-year-old daughter ... adding she's truly "exceptional."

Lesley Vogel sat down for a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Mail, published Saturday ... in which she touched on what may happen to the assets Hayden left behind.

While Lesley doesn't seem to know any specific details regarding Hayden's estate, she says -- because it seems Hayden didn't have a will -- California law dictates the entirety of the estate goes to Kaya.

Kaya -- who lives with her father, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, in Ukraine -- is an "exceptional" girl, Lesley says ... calling her an "amazing human being."

She says Kaya already speaks five languages ... and rides horses in competitions, which she's winning.

As for how she's doing amid Hayden's passing, Lesley says Wladimir has people around Kaya who are "very positive and supportive," and she's not worried about her at all.

Lesley also said she's putting her grief aside at the moment to focus on moving forward through the investigation into Hayden's death -- which she says she pressured the cops to open -- and to settling her daughter's affairs.

As we reported ... Hayden was found unresponsive last weekend at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where she was staying with boyfriend Brian Hickerson. First responders tried to resuscitate her but were unsuccessful.

Zach Hickerson claims his brother Brian administered Narcan to Hayden -- who had a documented history of drug and alcohol abuse -- to no avail. The DEA is assisting police with their investigation into her death.

Lesley has been raked over the coals in the aftermath of Hayden's passing ... with Gayle King ripping into her for failing to protect her daughter during the peak of her childhood stardom.

In the DM interview, Lesley called the characterization "unprofessional" and said people who have never met her shouldn't be kicking her while she's down.