Kehlani’s ex-boyfriend and former guitarist is pursuing full custody of their 5-year-old daughter, Adeya, alleging that the singer’s supposed involvement with a cult has disrupted their co-parenting arrangement.
Javaughn Young-White, who was in a relationship with the two-time Grammy-nominated artist from 2018 to 2019, has filed a paternity petition to obtain full custody of their child, claiming that his name was omitted from their daughter’s birth certificate following Kehlani’s home birth in 2019, according to Page Six.
According to the petition, Kehlani, who uses the pronouns she/they, allegedly had her home birth “orchestrated” by a “cult” that she belongs to, and Young-White believes they may have had influence over the decision. Kehlani’s ex also claimed that he had requested his name be placed on Adeya’s birth certificate over the “past five years” but “to no avail.”
Additionally, Young-White asserted that Kehlani has withheld their daughter Adeya’s social security number and is unsure if Adeya even has one due to the songstress’s affiliation to the mysterious cult. He claimed that the “After Hours” artist had been involved with the unidentified group for several years, which he believes is influencing her actions and decisions, including how she raises their daughter.
“For example, the cult leader, who goes by the name of Neto, convinced Respondent that he had a vision that I was a danger to our daughter and would kill her, and thereafter banned Respondent from allowing me to see Adeya,” Young-White stated in the filing, according to Page Six. “Based on this ‘vision’ by her cult leader, Respondent prevented me from seeing our daughter for months.”
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Young-White fears for his daughter’s safety.
After doing some investigation about Neto, Young-White alleged that he found out that the cult leader was facing “numerous accusations of committing sexual assault against women and young girls,” according to his petition. The young father expressed concerns for Adeya’s safety, stating that she is frequently left in the care of Kehlani’s cult members while the singer is on tour. He also claimed that Adeya is often in intimate settings with these individuals, such as sharing a bed and receiving baths. Young-White is requesting that his name be added to Adeya’s birth certificate and is seeking full custody and child support, citing a significant income disparity between himself and Kehlani.
The difficult court case comes two months after Kehlani happily told fans on TikTok that she was embracing a joyful and energized life by decentering men, the practice of intentionally moving away from positioning men as the central focus of attention in relationships and decision-making within social, cultural and academic contexts.
In the video shared on June 29, the CRASH artist discussed their journey, having identified as bisexual for most of their life before publicly coming out as a lesbian almost four years ago. Reflecting on this transformation, Kehlani emphasized that prioritizing women and focusing on themselves in their spiritual, educational and community practices and spaces has allowed them to “elevate” their lives.
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