This article mentions self-harm.
According to new reports, Perez Hilton has signed over temporary custody of his three children to his mom after he was hospitalized last week.
The 48-year-old star’s family previously confirmed that Perez had been hospitalized under Florida’s Mental Health Act following a distressing TikTok livestream that showed him seemingly self-harming while completely nude. Graphic videos of him covered in blood were later circulated on social media.
Since Perez was taken to the hospital for medical care, his family have issued multiple statements. In one that was shared on Aug. 6, they revealed that the celebrity blogger’s children, ages 13, 11, and 8, were present just moments before he went live on TikTok. Officers had previously asserted that Perez was alone in the house when they arrived on the scene.
“The events of the past several days have been nearly unbearable for our family,” the statement began. “Just minutes before the public livestream incident, Perez’s children, niece, and sister were inside the home. When it became clear that Perez was experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself, they immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma.”
They went on to ask for content creators, the paparazzi, and the media to leave the area surrounding the family’s home to give the children “the privacy and space they need during this unimaginably difficult time.”
They doubled down on this request in the latest statement, which was shared to Perez’s website this past weekend and also gave further insight into his current status. It read: “Perez’s condition remains serious but stable. He experienced significant blood loss and sustained additional injuries that will require surgery in the coming days. His treatment and recovery will be a long process. We are grateful that Perez was able to spend time with his mother and sister yesterday. As our family remains focused on Perez’s treatment and recovery, we also need the space and privacy to care for everyone affected by this situation.”
“Perez’s children remain safe and are being cared for by immediate family,” the statement concluded. “Please allow them and the rest of the family the peace and privacy they desperately need during this incredibly difficult time. Thank you for your continued support, compassion, and understanding.”
For reference, Perez raises his children as a single father after welcoming them via surrogate, and it has now been widely reported that his mom, Teresita Lavandeira, filed for temporary custody on Aug. 7 — three days after his hospitalization.
Per the Hollywood Reporter and other outlets, the documents signed by Perez read: “I realize that by signing this document, I am consenting to the Petitioner having temporary legal custody of the minor children and that such temporary custody is in the best interest of the children. I realize that the custody of my children by the petitioner is temporary and that I may, at any time, petition the court to return legal custody to me … I understand and acknowledge that I may have to comply with a reasonable transition plan prior to the court returning legal custody to me.”
It means that Perez’s mom can now consent to any medical or dental care that the children need, gain access to their medical and educational records, make educational decisions, and “do all other things necessary for the care of the children.”
This latest update comes after Supernatural star Jared Padalecki divided people by issuing an apology after tweeting his well-wishes for Perez. The well-intentioned gesture sparked criticism from other social media users, who were quick to remind Jared of Perez’s controversial past, when he was at the center of online tabloid journalism. If you also need reminding, Perez had a reputation for creating insulting nicknames for celebs, as well as humiliating imagery of them and publishing incredibly troubling stories to his website — including speculation over people's sexuality and mental health; you can read more about it here.
Jared deleted the post before telling followers: "I didn’t know. It’s been brought to my attention. I’m sorry ❤️" He followed up with a lengthy second tweet, which read: "To give more detail re: my post wishing someone well… I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about his past. I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly 'been kind' to me in the past. So, my thought is always to give grace and forgiveness to those who may have tried to 'harm' you… in my experience, it usually works out better than holding a grudge or wishing punishment on someone else."
"That having been said, I TRULY didn’t know ANYTHING about the extent to what he has done. That’s my bad. On my life, I have never in my life, not once, looked him up or gone to one of his sites. I simply thought he was a 'tabloid' type of sensationalist journalist. I DO NOT stand for, or support, ANY of the actions I just now found out that he has committed. Full stop. I’m sorry if my words caused any harm. And, I hope you ALL are well out there, and taking care of yourselves. 🙏❤️"
Ireland Baldwin — daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger — was one of the celebrities to feel the impact of Perez’s actions during his early career, and publicly called him out last week as she expressed her sympathy for his children at this difficult time. Writing on her Instagram story, Ireland shared: “Perez Hilton has publicly humiliated my family for years, sexualized me from a young age, commented on my weight and body (as a child), made unforgivable comments about people in my family, drew j!zz coming out of my mom’s and friend’s mouths, and has always been a despicable human being. But his children deserve better and a healthy father and I am so sad for all of them. I hope he gets the help he needs and heals.”
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