Former basketball player Dwight Howard has been handed a major boost in his battle to win custody of his daughter after a judge ruled in his favor.
via: Radar Online
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a judge issued a temporary order in the suit brought by Howard.
In January 2023, Howard and Render hashed out a deal where she had primary custody and he had secondary custody. As we first reported, in November 2023, Howard filed a petition to strip Render of custody.
The ex-NBA star accused Render of moving from Georgia to Florida without informing him in July 2023. He said his ex, “failed and refused to provide access to the Minor Child and failed and refused to discuss, in good faith, the Minor Child’s relocation, unenrollment in her prior school or enrollment in her new school in Florida.”
In addition, Howard said their daughter had posted a series of “inappropriate” videos on TikTok where she flipped off the camera as well as videos where she was “scantily clad and/or in age-inappropriate clothing, with vulgar, sexual songs playing in the background, wherein which the Minor Child is making sexually inappropriate gestures and innuendo.”
Howard even accused Render of exploiting their daughter by allowing her to appear on the reality show Basketball Wives Orlando.
He claimed Render had failed to allow him time with their daughter since their move and demonstrated “an inability to maintain a healthy home environment in which to raise the Minor Child.”
Howard demanded primary custody of the child and for his $3k per month, child support checks to be terminated.
In her response, Render denied the allegations she exploited their child or that she had approved of Layla’s TikTok videos.
She claimed the ex-NBA star was fully aware of her plan to move to Florida.
Render asked the court to dismiss Howard’s petition. She demanded the court not take custody away from her.
In her filing, she pointed out Howard planned to relocate overseas, possibly to Italy for “at least five months in the very near future.”
She said their daughter is enrolled in a Florida school and should not be forced to leave.
On January 9, the judge issued a temporary order in the case which awarded Dwight primary custody. The judge noted that, “the court finds that the minor child is well adjusted and loves both of her parents very much. The court finds that despite the instant proceeding, the minor child is in a good and appropriate head space.”
However, the judge told Howard and Render, “the parties need to work extra careful to ensure the minor child is not made to feel pressured or involved” in the custody battle.
After hearing testimony and evidence from both parties, the judge determined that “it is in the best interest of the minor child for primary custody to change, immediately, to her father, petitioner.”
The court said the exes would continue to share joint legal custody but with Howard having final decision-making authority. Render will be allowed visitation with the children..
The judge agreed to terminate Howard’s $3k per month child support obligations but did order him to pay $3k to cover Render’s travel expenses. A hearing has been set for May where the judge will make a final decision in the case.
