Things just took another turn in the ongoing custody situation involving Dwight Howard and his ex, Tiffany Render. Howard custody case is now back in court after a judge denied an emergency request tied to their 15-year-old daughter, Layla.
Render filed for temporary emergency custody on March 16, claiming she had “serious and immediate concerns” about her daughter’s well-being. In court documents, she alleged that Layla had recently been admitted to a mental facility after expressing thoughts of harming herself. She also claimed her daughter said she felt “unsafe” and emotionally distressed about returning to her father’s home.
Render argued that Layla should stay with her while the situation gets sorted out through the court. However, the judge did not see it the same way. On March 17, the court denied the emergency request, stating the situation did not qualify as urgent. The judge also noted that Render failed to submit the proper controlling custody order needed to move forward with the modification. Because of that, the case will instead proceed through a standard temporary hearing process.
Still, the filing revealed that Layla submitted her own affidavit requesting to live with her mother, which adds another layer to the situation.
This legal moment lands during a very public stretch for Howard. Police were reportedly called to his Georgia home multiple times earlier this month for separate incidents, including a suicide threat and a domestic situation. Around the same time, Howard and his wife, Ami Luciani, both filed for divorce after a brief marriage.
Then, just days later, Howard announced his retirement, saying he plans “to pour into my family.”
Now, all eyes are on what happens next in court.
