Kehlani have broken their silence about their daughter’s father’s custody application, Javaughn Young-Whitefiled a lawsuit against them. The singer and Javaughn share a five-year-old daughter named Adeya Nomi.
For context, TMZ first reported the story on August 5. The outlet cited court documents that said the mother of one child had been “involved in a cult for the past several years.” The outlet’s report also noted that Young-White claimed Kehlani had prevented him from seeing Adeya. Ultimately, according to TMZ, he is reportedly seeking full custody of the child.
Editor’s Note: Kehlani’s preferred pronouns include they/theirs/them and all are used in this article to refer to them.
Here’s What Kehlani Said About Filing for Co-Parent Custody
As mentioned, Kehlani spoke out about the custody petition on their Instagram Story on the evening of August 6. They began by saying that the media coverage of the petition has been “extremely hurtful, inaccurate, inappropriate and completely untrue.”
The singer explained that they delayed responding because they wanted to respond to the allegations “in a calm and measured way rather than overreacting.” They then went on to deny any accusations that they were putting their children at risk because of any religion.
“I categorically deny any and all allegations that I have ever placed my child in danger or left my child alone with anyone deemed dangerous or unsafe. I also do not concur with any of the allegations against my former religious community that have been made in the media,” Kehlani’s written statement read.
The ‘Nights Like This’ artists also emphasized that their commitment to their daughter and mother always comes first and always will.
“I have always been extremely careful to ensure my child is protected and safe. My child and my commitment to being a mother have always been my sole motivation in this life and always will be. This is who I am and what I am focused on,” Kehlani said of the allegations in the counterclaim.
Ultimately, the Oakland-raised superstar clarified that the custody application is a “legal, private, family matter and will be handled accordingly.” Kehlani also revealed that they will be “giving space” for her and Adeya Nomi’s “health.”
“Thank you for your support and respect for our privacy. I will have no further comment and will let the legal process take its course.”
Javaughn Young-White Clears the Air About His Child Custody Petition
On Tuesday evening, about an hour after the co-parent’s statement, Javaughn Young-White also broke his silence about the custody application.
In a written statement, he denied any reports that he labeled Kehlani’s alleged Santeria spirituality a “sex cult.” He also claimed to have no knowledge of a court-ordered mediation to discuss custody, visitation, and a parenting plan, as TMZ reported.
Furthermore, Young-White shared that his custody case filings were “incomplete and without [his] permission due to an error by counsel,” Young-White added that the legal counsel who originally filed the application no longer represents him.
“An amended filing will be forthcoming shortly, illustrating the full extent of my concerns. I do not need to paint an unfair picture of my co-parent for my legitimate feelings to be represented by the court,” Javaughn Young-White’s statement said.
Note that Kehlani shared her co-parent’s statement on her Instagram Story, but it’s unclear whether she and he have spoken privately about the matter.
This is an update in development.
RELATED: Here’s What We Know About Kehlani’s Daughter’s Father, Javaughn Young-White
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