The Perez Hilton custody filing involving his three children is not being reported as a fight between the celebrity blogger and his mother. According to TMZ, Hilton signed a consent form allowing Teresita Lavandeira to receive temporary custodial rights while he remains hospitalized following a serious mental health crisis in Florida.
According to People, Lavandeira filed the petition in a Miami family court on August 7, three days after Hilton was hospitalized following a disturbing August 4 livestream in which he appeared to harm himself. People reported that public court records confirm the filing and that Lavandeira is seeking temporary custody of Hilton’s three children, Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8.
The custody arrangement would give Lavandeira the legal ability to handle several parts of the children’s daily lives while their father receives care. TMZ, which obtained Hilton’s signed consent form, reported that he agreed to let his mother make necessary and reasonable medical and dental decisions for the children, obtain important records including birth certificates, enroll them in school and handle other responsibilities connected to their care.
Lavandeira is also asking the court to seal the case. According to TMZ, her filing directly addresses the effect that continued public attention could have on the children. The filing states, “The children in this case should not be subjected to any further trauma related to the incidents that are the basis of the petition.”
That request comes after Hilton’s family publicly made the children’s privacy a priority. In an August 8 statement posted to PerezHilton.com, the family said Hilton’s children were safe and being cared for by immediate relatives. The family also asked members of the media to stop gathering near the family home and to stop photographing the children.
The custody filing arrives as Hilton’s medical recovery remains the larger concern for the family. In that same official statement, his relatives confirmed that Hilton remained hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act and said, “Perez’s condition remains serious but stable.” The family also said he had experienced significant blood loss, sustained additional injuries that would require surgery and faced what they described as a long treatment and recovery process.
Florida’s Department of Children and Families explains that the Baker Act, formally known as the Florida Mental Health Act, allows an individual to be taken to a receiving facility for involuntary examination when specific mental health and safety criteria are met. According to the agency, those criteria can include a serious threat of harm to the person or others based on recent behavior, or circumstances in which a person may suffer substantial harm without treatment and cannot safely rely on other available assistance.
People reported that the August 4 incident began after concerned viewers contacted authorities over Hilton’s livestream. The Miami Dade Sheriff’s Office told the outlet that deputies responded after receiving reports involving a person broadcasting acts of self harm. People later reported that Hilton’s children were no longer inside the home when authorities ultimately responded and that he was alone when deputies made contact.
Hilton’s family has said the children, his sister and his niece had been inside shortly before the crisis escalated. In a statement reported by People, the family said they left once they realized what was happening so the children would not witness additional trauma. The family said its priority was helping the children regain a sense of security and normalcy.
The custody development also comes shortly after a major family move. According to People, Hilton announced in June that he and his children were relocating from Las Vegas to Miami to be closer to family. In a June 26 video discussed by the outlet, Hilton acknowledged that the transition had been difficult, saying, “I was in a bit of a spiral, because I was overwhelmed with our move to Miami and I didn’t do these things that I know are good for me.”
His August hospitalization also followed other serious health problems earlier in 2026. People reported that Hilton was hospitalized in Las Vegas in March after developing an ulcer, a perforation and severe sepsis. The outlet later reported that he returned to the hospital after developing deep vein thrombosis in his right leg and underwent a procedure to remove a major blood clot before beginning to walk again in April.
For now, the available reporting around the Perez Hilton custody case points to a temporary legal structure intended to give Lavandeira authority to care for the children while Hilton is unable to manage those responsibilities himself. TMZ’s report that Hilton signed the consent paperwork is an important distinction because it shows that the temporary transfer is being made with his agreement rather than through a publicly reported dispute between mother and son.
Hilton’s family has not offered a timetable for his release from the hospital. Its August 8 statement instead emphasized that his communication had been extremely limited and that the family remained focused on his treatment, recovery and the well being of everyone affected. The family closed its request for privacy by asking the public to give Hilton’s children and relatives space during what it called an incredibly difficult time.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress can call or text 988 for free, confidential support through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which says counselors are available around the clock.
