Kehlani has fired back at accusations that she’s involved in a cult and, more seriously, that she exposed her child to registered sex offenders.
Taking to Instagram stories on Tuesday (August 6), Kehlani took the claims head on, writing: “What has been published in the media over the past 24 hours is incredibly hurtful, inaccurate, inappropriate, and simply untrue. 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.
“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.”
She 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 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.”
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that Kehlani’s ex, Javaughn Young-White, had filed a petition for full custody of their 5-year-old daughter, Adeya Nomi, claiming that Kehlani is involved in a cult that influences her actions. Young-White also suggested that the alleged cult leader, who faces sexual assault accusations, is involved in caring for their child during Kehlani’s tours. However, Young-White now says that the custody filing was submitted in error and misrepresented by TMZ.
“I never said that I think Santeria is a sex cult. Nor did I say that my daughter is in a sex cult,” he wrote on Instagram. “That’s factually incorrect and 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 this narrative.
“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.”
He added: “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 obstacles in ensuring my child’s wellbeing. For now, I am hoping to clear the discrepancies made by TMZ. I hope to see a formal retraction and apology.”