What Happened to Perez Hilton, and Why His Mom Is Asking for Custody of His Kids

The mother of Perez Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, asked a court in Miami-Dade County, Florida, on August 7 for temporary custody of his three children. This came after a mental health crisis at his home that led to his hospitalization and a forced psychiatric evaluation (The Guardian; NBC Miami).

Lavandeira's mother, Teresita Lavandeira, has a lawyer named Natalie F. Guerra-Valdes handling the custody case. The request covers his three children: Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8. All three were born through surrogacy, meaning another woman carried and gave birth to them for Lavandeira, who is a single parent (Page Six).

The crisis became public on August 4. Lavandeira streamed a live video on TikTok from his home that has since been deleted. The video appeared to show him naked and covered in blood, with cuts on his body and holding what looked like a knife. People watching tried to get his phone number so they could call for help. TikTok took the video down after it was broadcast (The Guardian; NBC Miami).

Police from the Miami-Dade sheriff's office went to the home after getting calls about someone livestreaming self-harm on social media. Lavandeira was then "Baker-Acted." The Baker Act is a Florida law that lets police, doctors, mental health professionals, or judges hold someone for a psychiatric evaluation against their will for up to 72 hours if they are in a mental health crisis (The Guardian).

Lavandeira's three children, his niece, and his sister were inside the home shortly before the livestream began. They left to keep the children from seeing what happened next, according to a family statement (The Guardian; PerezHilton.com).

As of Saturday, the family said Lavandeira was still in the hospital in serious condition. He had been stabilized, but his injuries would need surgery. The family said it was focused on his treatment and recovery (The Guardian; NBC Miami).

The broader context here involves several issues working together. The Baker Act is not a criminal law — it is meant to stabilize and evaluate someone, not to charge them with a crime. But because the hold was involuntary and children were in the home at the time, a family court would consider those facts when deciding on temporary custody. Florida courts generally use a standard called the "best interest of the child," meaning the judge focuses on what is safest and healthiest for the kids.

The livestream adds another issue. TikTok removed the video after it aired, but live streaming works like a live TV broadcast — there is no way to check the content before it goes out. The platform can only respond after viewers report a problem, which means there is always a gap between when something harmful starts and when it gets taken down. In this case, viewers tried to fill that gap by calling authorities themselves.

The custody request is the key legal development to watch. In Florida, a court grants temporary custody when it decides a child's safety needs immediate action before a full hearing can take place. The fact that the request was filed on August 7, just three days after the crisis, suggests the family acted quickly. The outcome will depend on Lavandeira's medical condition, where the children are staying now, and any conditions the court might set for him to see them again.