Three children, all under 14, are now at the center of a family court filing that followed a crisis unfolding in real time.
After a mental health emergency played out on TikTok, Perez Hilton’s mother moved to secure temporary custody while her son remained hospitalized. The legal filing came quickly, but the need behind it was immediate: keeping the children safe and cared for.
Hilton, 48, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, was hospitalized on August 4 after a livestream from his Miami home prompted multiple emergency calls to local authorities. In the days that followed, his family disclosed the severity of his injuries, and his mother filed a petition for temporary custody in Miami-Dade County court.
What the reporting reveals is a family making urgent decisions in the middle of a crisis, with three children’s need for safety and routine as the clearest priority.
What Happened on August 4
The emergency began when people watching a live social media video placed multiple calls to Miami-Dade authorities.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office received what it described as “multiple calls regarding an individual who was livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.” The video appeared to show Hilton naked and covered in blood, with visible cuts and holding what appeared to be a knife. It was posted to TikTok and has since been deleted.
A U.S. spokesperson for TikTok confirmed that Hilton’s account was banned following the incident. By then, the livestream had already brought an emergency response to Hilton’s Miami home.
Hilton’s three children, his niece, and his sister were at the house moments before the crisis began. A statement posted on the Perez Hilton website said that when the situation escalated, they “immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma.”
Florida’s Baker Act, Explained
Hilton’s hospitalization happened under a Florida statute that gives authorities a specific legal framework for responding to mental health emergencies.
He was transported to a local hospital and held under what is known as the Baker Act. The Florida law permits police, doctors, mental health professionals, or judges to temporarily detain a person for an involuntary psychiatric evaluation lasting up to 72 hours during a mental health crisis when the person poses a threat of harm to themselves or others.
His representatives stated on August 5, confirming only that they did not “have any additional confirmed information to share regarding Perez Hilton’s condition.” Three days later, the family released a fuller medical update.
On August 8, the family said Hilton had experienced “significant blood loss” and additional injuries. Surgery would be required, recovery would be “a long process,” and his condition was “serious but stable.”
The Custody Petition, Filed in Miami-Dade
Three days after the hospitalization, Hilton’s mother filed a formal petition to assume legal responsibility for her grandchildren.
On August 7, Teresita Lavandeira filed a petition for temporary custody of Hilton’s three children in Miami-Dade County court. The filing addressed the practical question now facing the family: who could legally make decisions for the children while their father remained hospitalized.
The family’s attorney, Natalie F. Guerra-Valdes, described the objective directly: “My main concern and objective, as well as the family’s, is to protect the children and make sure they are safe. We want them to have some sense of normalcy as they begin their journey of healing after the tragic events that occurred last week.”
As of August 12, no judge had publicly confirmed granting the petition. In a statement on the Perez Hilton website, the family asked the public “to leave the area surrounding the family’s home” and confirmed it “remains focused on Perez’s treatment and recovery.”
The Three Children at the Center
Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8, are the three people for whom every practical decision this past week has been organized.
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Hilton is a single parent to all three, who were born via surrogacy. He and the children had recently moved to Miami to be closer to family, placing relatives nearby when the events of August 4 suddenly changed their day-to-day lives.
The family’s statement made its priority explicit: “Our highest priority right now is helping the children begin to heal from what they experienced. An important part of that process is allowing them to safely return home and begin rebuilding a sense of security and normalcy.”
The children are currently living with their grandmother in Miami. The custody petition was filed as a practical measure to provide legal clarity during their father’s hospitalization. None of the reporting reviewed establishes a prior custody conflict or a pre-existing child protection case involving the family.
A Difficult Year, and Then August 4
The mental health emergency did not arrive without context, though no causal link has been established between earlier events and August 4.
Earlier in 2026, Hilton spent 21 days hospitalized after an ulcer led to severe sepsis and was subsequently readmitted with a blood clot. That medical history was already part of a difficult year before the events at his Miami home.
In a YouTube video posted on June 26, he described the family’s recent move: “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.” He also said he was working on his mental health through exercise and faith.
Hilton described a church service where he felt “a little bit anxious, but more soothed and inspired and centered than anything.” Those were his own words roughly five weeks before the August 4 emergency. No causal connection between those comments and what happened later has been established.
What the Coming Weeks Look Like
Surgery has been confirmed as necessary but not yet confirmed as completed, and the custody petition remains pending before a judge.
Ireland Baldwin, who claimed Hilton had publicly humiliated and sexualized her when she was young, responded to news of the crisis while also addressing what his children are facing. “But his children deserve better and a healthy father, and I am so sad for all of them. I hope he gets the help he needs and heals,” she said.
Her response was one of several that revisited Hilton’s past while expressing concern about his current situation. For his family, however, the immediate matters remain concrete: his medical treatment, the unresolved custody petition, and the daily care of three children while their father is in the hospital.
As of August 12, Hilton remains hospitalized, with his condition described as serious but stable. His family is managing medical, legal, and caregiving responsibilities simultaneously, with no confirmed timeline for any of them. For now, each next step depends on decisions that have yet to be made.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7 through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
When a parent faces a sudden health crisis, what do you think families can do in advance to make caregiving decisions for children clearer and less overwhelming for everyone involved?
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