Teresita Lavandeira, mother of the Cuban-American blogger Pérez Hilton, filed a request for temporary custody of her three grandchildren in the Miami-Dade courts.
According to court records consulted by Telemundo 51, the request was made days after the blogger, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was involved in a serious self-harm incident broadcast live on TikTok from his home in the Westchester neighborhood of southern Florida.
The court documents, submitted on August 7, indicate that the three minors are Mario Jr., 13 years old; Mia Alma, 11; and Mayte Amor, eight.
Pérez Hilton himself voluntarily consented to the arrangement and signed documents in which he acknowledges that the temporary custody is "in the best interest of the children."
The lawyer representing the mother, Natalie F. Guerra-Valdés, explained in a statement that the family's priority is to ensure the safety of the minors.
"The primary concern and goal is to protect the children and ensure they are well. We want them to have a sense of normalcy as they begin their healing process after the tragic events that occurred last week."
If the request is approved, Teresita Lavandeira would have the authority to make medical, dental, and educational decisions regarding the three minors, as well as access their school and health records.
The family also requested the court to seal the record from public access to prevent further harm to the children.
The documents state that Hilton may request the return of legal custody at any time, although it may have to adhere to a transition plan before regaining it.
The family lawyer Claudia Cobreiro, who is not involved in the case, explained to Telemundo 51 that this is an uncommon mechanism but is provided for situations in which the sole parent with legal custody is unable to exercise it.
"It is a request made when we still do not have all the details about how long this situation may last or what long-term needs the person who is losing custody might have," he clarified.
What happened on TikTok?
The incident that triggered the request occurred on the night of August 4, when Pérez Hilton live streamed what appeared to be self-harm from his home in Westchester.
The broadcast showed the influencer covered in blood, with visible cuts on his arms, torso, and face, holding what appeared to be a knife.
Thousands of viewers witnessed the moment live and began to alert the authorities. The Miami-Dade Police Department received multiple calls and classified the incident as a suicide attempt.
The police operation lasted almost four hours. The officers managed to enter the residence around 11:00 PM and transported Hilton by ambulance at around 11:30 PM. He was taken under Florida's Baker Act, which allows for the involuntary holding and evaluation of mental health in situations of imminent risk.
TikTok removed the video and permanently banned the account of the Cuban-American for violating its community guidelines.
The family assures that when the incident began, the three children and two other relatives had already left the house.
On August 8, the family reported that Hilton was in a "critical but stable" condition and would require surgery in the following days due to significant blood loss and the injuries sustained.
The episode occurs after several months of serious health issues. In March, the blogger spent 21 days hospitalized due to potentially fatal sepsis caused by a perforated ulcer. Weeks later, he underwent emergency surgery for massive deep vein thrombosis.
It was precisely to recover and be close to his family that Hilton, 48 years old and the son of Cuban immigrants, moved from Las Vegas to Miami with his mother and his three children, for whom he has sole legal custody as a single father.
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