Kehlani has addressed allegations from their ex-partner, Javaughn Young-White, claiming the singer is involved in a cult that allegedly puts their 5-year-old daughter, Adeya Nomi, at risk.
The accusations first surfaced when Young-White filed for full custody of Adeya on July 24, citing serious concerns for her safety.
Court documents obtained by Billboard reveal Young-White’s claim that “everyone else has bigger say-so when it comes to the upbringing of our daughter than I do.” He alleged that Adeya was “born in a home and not in a conventional setting like a hospital,” explaining why his name isn’t on the birth certificate.
Young-White’s allegations escalated to accusations of Kehlani’s involvement in what he termed a “cult.”
He claimed, “While Respondent is on tour, and our daughter is in the care of her fellow cult members, Adeya sleeps in the bed with, and is given baths by random adult members of the cult and she is often in the bedroom alone with some of these people.”
He even alleged being “physically restrained and threatened” when attempting to retrieve Adeya.
In response, Kehlani took to her Instagram Story on Aug. 6 to address the allegations head-on.
“What has been published in the media over the past 24 hours is incredibly hurtful, inaccurate, inappropriate, and simply untrue,” they stated.
“I strongly deny any claims that I have put my child in harm’s way or left my child alone with anyone deemed dangerous or unsafe. I also do not align with any of the allegations made against my former religious community that have been stated in the media.”
Kehlani then went on to address their commitment to Adeya’s well-being: “I have always taken great care to ensure that my child remains protected and safe at all times. My child and my commitment to motherhood have always been my sole driving forces in this life and will always remain so.”
“This is a legal, private, familial matter that will be handled accordingly, and I will now be taking space for my own personal well-being and, most importantly, for the well-being of my child. Thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. I will not be commenting further and will let the legal due process take place,” the “After Hours” singer concluded.
Young-White then released a statement of his own, attempting to clear the air regarding the portrayal of his claims in the media.
He accused TMZ of misrepresenting his words, stating, “That’s factually incorrect and I think it’s disgusting that TMZ would exploit a child’s image like that. Further, I have not been made aware of any court-ordered mediation as of writing this per the account of TMZ. Personally, I would love for TMZ to justify to me, the father, how they came up with this narrative.”
He continued, “The TMZ article sensationalized aspects of what was said while simultaneously breaching my confidentiality.”
“Further, the filing of my case was incomplete and did not have my authorization by error of counsel. I am no longer represented by the aforementioned counsel. There will be an amended filing soon which will illustrate the full range of my concern.”
Young-White insisted that he does not intend to vilify Kehlani, stating, “I do not need to paint an unfair image of my co-parent for my justifiable feelings to be respected by the court of law. This unfortunate trauma only increases the obstacles in ensuring my child’s well-being.”
“For now, I am hoping to clear the discrepancies made by TMZ. I hope to see a formal retraction and apology.”
The post “Kehlani Breaks Silence on Cult Allegations Amid Custody Battle” by Jessica Lynch was published on 08/07/2024 by www.billboard.com