Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has agreed to grant Ayesha Howard full custody of their 5-month-old daughter, Aubri’, as their paternity battle continues to unfold in court.
According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, Edwards has voluntarily given Howard temporary sole physical and legal custody of their infant daughter. The decision comes amid a wider legal dispute concerning paternity and child support. Edwards has since asked the court to determine his financial responsibilities moving forward.
Howard, 38, claims she has been the sole caregiver since giving birth to Aubri’ in October 2024, and documents submitted to the court emphasize that Edwards has not played a role in the child’s life.
This custody agreement, though temporary, reflects what Howard describes as a continued absence on the part of the NBA star.
A contentious history resurfaces in court filings
The origins of this legal conflict trace back to last year when Edwards, 23, filed a petition to establish paternity and child support in Georgia, his home state. Howard responded by requesting the case be moved to California, arguing that she and Edwards shared time together in various cities during his NBA season and the offseason – suggesting jurisdiction should reflect the broader scope of their relationship.
In court documents, Howard makes several alarming claims about Edwards’ behavior upon learning of her pregnancy. According to her, Edwards responded by blocking her on all platforms and allegedly texted that their daughter would be a “fatherless child.”
“Upon informing Anthony of the pregnancy, he blocked me on all communication platforms and made it clear, through text messages, that he did not want to be involved in the life of our child,” Howard wrote in her statement. “His exact words were that our daughter would be a ‘fatherless child.'”
She further alleges that she received no financial, emotional, or logistical support from Edwards throughout her pregnancy. In support of her case, Howard included screenshots of alleged text exchanges, including messages where Edwards reportedly urged her to “get da abortion.”
A complicated family dynamic
Howard is also the mother of Jason, 9, her son with rapper Lil Baby. Meanwhile, Edwards has been in a relationship with Shannon Jackson since 2020, and the couple share a daughter, Aislynn, born in March 2024.
According to reports, Edwards is also the alleged father of two other young children: Aris, 1, with Daja Carlyle and Amir, 1, with Alexandria Desroches.
However, he has not publicly acknowledged any of his children outside of his current relationship with Jackson.
Despite Edwards‘ basketball accolades and rising fame – including an Olympic gold medal and status as one of the NBA’s most explosive young stars – his personal life is becoming increasingly scrutinized as the legal battles mount.
As the custody case continues, many await clarity on how Edwards will navigate both his professional career and growing responsibilities off the court.
For now, the court has placed Aubri‘ entirely in the care of her mother, while Edwards‘ role remains uncertain.
Read the full article here
