Perez Hilton's children were inside his Miami home minutes before a livestream in which he appeared to self-harm with a knife, according to a statement released by his family.
Following the incident on Tuesday night, which led to Hilton being hospitalized, his family revealed that his children, niece, and sister were present. They stated that the family "immediately fled" to protect the children from witnessing further trauma when it became apparent that Hilton was experiencing a severe mental health crisis.
"Our highest priority right now is helping the children begin to heal from what they experienced," the statement read. "An important part of that process is allowing them to safely return home and begin rebuilding a sense of security and normalcy."
The family is requesting privacy for the children during this difficult time and has asked that media, paparazzi, content creators, and the public refrain from gathering around the home.
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., is a father to three children, all born via surrogacy. His eldest son was born in 2013, followed by two daughters in 2015 and 2017.
"We will continue to provide updates on Perez’s condition through PerezHilton.com when we have additional information we are able to share," the family stated. "Again, thank you for your compassion, understanding, and continued prayers."