Last month, Kehlani's ex and former guitarist Javaughn Young-White filed for full custody of their five-year-old daughter, Adeya Nomi, claiming that the artist is in a cult. Kehlani has now responded to these reports, sharing a statement to their Instagram Story.
"I wanted to take the time to ensure that I responded to these accusations from a calm and considered space rather than a reactive one," the musician wrote. "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."
They 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. This is who I am and what I have always been focused on.
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.
-Kehlani
In court documents obtained by People, Young-White wrote, "Adeya was born through a home birth orchestrated by what I would describe as a cult that she belongs in. Due to the fact that Adeya was born in a home and not in a conventional setting like a hospital, my name is not on Adeya's birth certificate." Further, he claimed that his attempts to get his name added to Adeya's birth certificate have been fruitless, and that Kehlani refuses to tell him his child's social security number, prompting him to wonder if she even has one.
Young-White also alleged that the cult leader has "numerous accusations of committing sexual assault" against women and young girls. He added that Kehlani leaves Adeya alone with strangers, including said cult leader, who bathe her and sleep in bed with her.
After Kehlani issued her statement, Young-White also took to Instagram to share his own, clarifying, "I never said I think Santeria is sex cult. Nor did I say my daughter is in a sex cult." He added that the filing was incomplete and made without his authorization by error of his legal counsel, whom he is no longer represented by. "There will be an amended filing soon which will illustrate the full range of my concern," he wrote.
See Young-White's full statement below. Kehlani also made headlines via Instagram Story over the weekend, when Chris Brown shared a selfie of the two of them.