Perez Hilton’s children ‘fled’ property moments before ‘severe mental health crisis’, family say

Warning: This article contains discussion of self-harm which some readers may find distressing.

Perez Hilton's family have revealed that his children were in his home just minutes before the stream displaying 'self-harm' went live.

The celebrity blogger, 48, was hospitalised on Tuesday (4 August) after emergency services responded to his Miami home.

Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr, was seen covered in blood in a graphic TikTok livestream on his page.

Family members say they are now 'helping the children begin to heal from what they experienced'.

Hilton is a single father to three children via surrogate: Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, 8.

"The events of the past several days have been nearly unbearable for our family," a new family statement shared on Thursday (6 August) read.

It went on to reveal that 'just minutes before the public livestream incident, Perez’s children, niece, and sister were inside the home'.

Perez Hilton's family said the 'events of the past several days have been nearly unbearable' (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

"When it became clear that Perez was experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself, they immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma," the statement continued.

"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."

They went on to ask 'members of the media, paparazzi, content creators, and the public to leave the area surrounding the family’s home and not return'.

On Wednesday, the family said 'Perez is able to communicate, which has given our family hope'.

“Our family wants to once again thank everyone who has reached out with prayers, kind messages, and support for Perez. Your compassionate humanity during this profoundly heartbreaking time has meant more than words can express," they said.

Family members say they are now 'helping the children begin to heal from what they experienced' (David Becker/Getty Images)

“This has been incredibly difficult and emotional for us, made even harder because very little information has been made available to our family. While we continue to wait for further updates, we remain hopeful."

A day prior, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) was called to the home. Hilton was hospitalised under Florida’s Baker Act - a law that allows authorities to hold someone involuntarily for a period of time if they pose a threat of harm to themselves or others.

His TikTok account was subsequently banned following the video.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, which did not name the father-of-three directly, told CNN it 'received multiple calls regarding an individual who was live-streaming acts of self-harm on social media'.

Hilton's family have revealed that his children were in his home just minutes before the stream displaying 'self-harm' went live (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“Deputies quickly located the individual’s residence, where they spoke with family members on scene, and confirmed he was alone inside,” the sheriff’s office said.

“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritise de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication,” the sheriff’s office said.

According to TikTok, the company's automated moderating system flagged Hilton's livestream within minutes.

However, moderator error delayed their response, and the stream ran for around 15 minutes before it closed.

After this, they banned Hilton's account.

Who is Perez Hilton?

Hilton is a celebrity gossip columnist, whose pen name is a pun on socialite Paris Hilton.

He launched his website PerezHilton.com in 2004, originally using free WiFi in coffee shops because he couldn’t afford to install an internet connection in his home.

But he became infamous in the Noughties for his controversial coverage of the era’s biggest stars.

He had high-profile friendships with the likes of Lady Gaga, Amanda Bynes and Lindsay Lohan, but other celebs such as Mila Kunis called out what she described as his ‘mean’ coverage.

Hilton appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015. He also fronted ITV show Perez Hilton Superfan in 2011, with appearances from Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland and Enrique Iglesias.

Writing in his 2020 memoir TMI: My Life in Scandal, Hilton said: “I have a ton of regrets, particularly because I now see that I never needed to be so mean or cruel.

“One of the many things I regret is that I hurt so many people by giving them nasty nicknames, and above all that I was unkind to the children of celebrities.

“I have apologised publicly and privately to dozens of people."

Hilton has three children via surrogate. He wrote for Huffington Post: "All kids are mine genetically. Each was born thanks to the generosity of a different surrogate, using eggs from the same anonymous donor.

"While I don’t rule out adoption in the future, for me it was important to have kids with my DNA. My dad passed away when I was 15 and having my children is a way of him living on through them - literally."

In March 2026, Hilton was hospitalised with sepsis for three weeks from a perforated ulcer and was forced to undergo emergency surgery.

He said that following the experience, he would ‘start taking the kids to church every week’.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.