Perez Hilton’s Mother Files for Temporary Custody of His Children After Hospitalization
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 16: (L-R) Teresita Lavandeira, Mickey Mouse, Mia Alma Lavandeira, Perez Hilton and Mario Armando Lavandeira III attend Disney On Ice: Follow Your Heart at Staples Center on December 16, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo Credit: Randy Shropshire
by Chris Tremblay Aug 12
3 MIN READ
Perez Hilton’s mother, Teresita Lavandeira, filed a petition for temporary custody of his three children in a Miami family court on August 7, according to court documents obtained by multiple news organizations.
The filing came three days after Hilton was hospitalized following a livestream from his Miami-area home in which he appeared to harm himself. The reports describe the arrangement as temporary rather than a permanent termination or transfer of Hilton’s parental rights.
The children are Mario III, 13; Mia, 11; and Mayte, 8. Hilton, whose legal name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., is their parent.
According to People, Lavandeira’s Florida attorney, Natalie F. Guerra-Valdes, said the family’s objective was to protect the children and give them “some sense of normalcy” while they begin recovering from the events of the previous week.
TMZ reported that Hilton signed a consent form supporting his mother’s request for temporary custodial authority. Page Six similarly reported that the court documents state Hilton “voluntarily consented” to the application.
The reported authority would allow Lavandeira to make necessary medical and dental decisions for the children, obtain their medical and educational records, enroll them in school and take other actions concerning their welfare. The documents reportedly preserve Hilton’s ability to petition for the return of custody, potentially subject to a transition plan.
Lavandeira has also asked that the court records be sealed. TMZ and Page Six reported that the filing cites the children’s need to avoid further trauma connected with the incidents underlying the petition.
The reported request to seal the case comes as media outlets have continued covering the livestream, Hilton’s hospitalization and the children’s circumstances. No public ruling on the sealing request was identified in the reporting reviewed for this article.
The custody filing follows a police response on August 4 after viewers reported that a man was livestreaming acts of self-harm from a Miami residence associated with Hilton.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office did not initially identify the man by name, but said authorities had received numerous calls about the livestream. The department later said the individual had been “safely recovered” and transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital.
The sheriff’s office also said mental-health professionals were present at the scene to provide support and resources to the person’s family. Hilton’s representatives subsequently confirmed that he was receiving medical care and asked for privacy for him and his family.
A statement published on Hilton’s website on August 8 said that he remained hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act and that his condition was “serious but stable.” The statement said he had experienced significant blood loss and sustained additional injuries requiring surgery, and that his treatment and recovery would be lengthy.
The same statement said Hilton’s communication had been limited to immediate family, medical providers and others directly involved in his care. It also said that his children were safe and being cared for by immediate family.
In an earlier family statement, relatives said the children, Hilton’s sister and his niece had been inside the home shortly before the incident. The statement said that, when family members recognized Hilton was experiencing a severe mental-health crisis and harming himself, they left with the children to prevent them from witnessing further trauma.
The family identified helping the children heal and reestablish a sense of security and normalcy as its highest priority. Lavandeira’s attorney told People that the family wanted the children to be safe while they began that process.
People reported that the children had recently moved with Hilton to Miami to be closer to Lavandeira and other family members. The publication also reported that the children were conceived through gestational surrogacy.
The available reports do not establish that Hilton has permanently lost custody of his children. Instead, they describe a temporary arrangement supported by Hilton while he remains hospitalized and receives treatment.
The family has asked members of the media and public not to gather outside its home. Further details about the children’s living arrangements, the court’s decision and Hilton’s medical condition have not been publicly disclosed by the court or treating clinicians.
The children are Mario III, 13; Mia, 11; and Mayte, 8. Hilton, whose legal name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., is their parent.
According to People, Lavandeira’s Florida attorney, Natalie F. Guerra-Valdes, said the family’s objective was to protect the children and give them “some sense of normalcy” while they begin recovering from the events of the previous week.
What the documents reportedly say
TMZ reported that Hilton signed a consent form supporting his mother’s request for temporary custodial authority. Page Six similarly reported that the court documents state Hilton “voluntarily consented” to the application.
The reported authority would allow Lavandeira to make necessary medical and dental decisions for the children, obtain their medical and educational records, enroll them in school and take other actions concerning their welfare. The documents reportedly preserve Hilton’s ability to petition for the return of custody, potentially subject to a transition plan.
Lavandeira has also asked that the court records be sealed. TMZ and Page Six reported that the filing cites the children’s need to avoid further trauma connected with the incidents underlying the petition.
The reported request to seal the case comes as media outlets have continued covering the livestream, Hilton’s hospitalization and the children’s circumstances. No public ruling on the sealing request was identified in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Hospitalization and official updates
The custody filing follows a police response on August 4 after viewers reported that a man was livestreaming acts of self-harm from a Miami residence associated with Hilton.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office did not initially identify the man by name, but said authorities had received numerous calls about the livestream. The department later said the individual had been “safely recovered” and transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital.
The sheriff’s office also said mental-health professionals were present at the scene to provide support and resources to the person’s family. Hilton’s representatives subsequently confirmed that he was receiving medical care and asked for privacy for him and his family.
A statement published on Hilton’s website on August 8 said that he remained hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act and that his condition was “serious but stable.” The statement said he had experienced significant blood loss and sustained additional injuries requiring surgery, and that his treatment and recovery would be lengthy.
The same statement said Hilton’s communication had been limited to immediate family, medical providers and others directly involved in his care. It also said that his children were safe and being cared for by immediate family.
The children’s welfare
In an earlier family statement, relatives said the children, Hilton’s sister and his niece had been inside the home shortly before the incident. The statement said that, when family members recognized Hilton was experiencing a severe mental-health crisis and harming himself, they left with the children to prevent them from witnessing further trauma.
The family identified helping the children heal and reestablish a sense of security and normalcy as its highest priority. Lavandeira’s attorney told People that the family wanted the children to be safe while they began that process.
People reported that the children had recently moved with Hilton to Miami to be closer to Lavandeira and other family members. The publication also reported that the children were conceived through gestational surrogacy.
The available reports do not establish that Hilton has permanently lost custody of his children. Instead, they describe a temporary arrangement supported by Hilton while he remains hospitalized and receives treatment.
The family has asked members of the media and public not to gather outside its home. Further details about the children’s living arrangements, the court’s decision and Hilton’s medical condition have not been publicly disclosed by the court or treating clinicians.
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