Kehlani is addressing the accusations made by her ex-boyfriend, Javaughn Young-White, who claimed that her involvement with a cult was putting their 5-year-old daughter, Adeya, in harm’s way.
On Aug. 6, Kehlani took to her Instagram Story to shut down claims made by Young-White inside his alarming petition to gain full custody of their daughter. Young-White, who was in a relationship with the “After Hours” songstress from 2018 to 2019, alleged that the hitmaker has been involved with a cult that he believes is affecting her decisions, including how she raises their daughter. He noted that the cult leader, identified as Neto, was facing “numerous accusations of committing sexual assault against women and young girls” and that he feared for Adeya’s safety, but Kehlani denied all the claims, stating that she would never put her child at risk.
“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,” they wrote. “I also do not align with any of the allegations made against my former religious community that have been stated in the media.”
Kehlani continued, “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.”
The star, who practices the Afro-Caribbean religion, La Regla de Ocha, more commonly known as Santeria, said she would not comment on the “private” matter during her custody battle with Young-White.
(L-R) Jaboukie Young-White and Javaughn Young-White attend the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Presented by BET, at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California.Source: Leon Bennett / Getty
Young-White issued a statement, too.
After the 29-year-old singer spoke out, Young-White followed up with a statement of his own, slamming TMZ, who initially broke the story, for stating Kehlani was involved with a “sex cult.” He claimed that his petition never mentioned the allegation and called their report “factually incorrect.”
He continued, “I think it’s disgusting that TMZ would exploit a child’s image like that…Personally, I would love for TMZ to justify to me, the father, how they came up with that narrative.”
Young-White also noted that his custody case documents were filed as “incomplete” and unauthorized, attributing the issue to his legal team, with whom he has since ended his relationship.
“For now, I am hoping to clear the discrepancies made by TMZ,” he concluded. “I hope to see a formal retraction and apology.”
Read his full statement below.
Kehlani welcomed her daughter Adeya with Young-White in 2019 through an unmedicated home birth, according to Complex. Before her delivery, the Grammy-nominated artist gushed about the joy of becoming a mother that year, telling fans that she was “so so so happy.”
In her since-deleted post, she added, “The highest blessing one could receive. I love you already, mama. 4 months & so grateful. If you know me, you know I’ve dreamt about motherhood since I was very young. When asked what my goals are, it’s always the idea of a big healthy happy family & whatever comes along is a plus.”
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