NBA Star Anthony Edwards Gives Child’s Mother Full Custody After ‘Abortion’ Texts

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has completely signed and granted full custody of his six-month-old daughter, Aubri Summers, to Ayesha Howard after a publicly explosive custody battle.

Despite being granted full custody, it’s only temporary. Should Edwards not attempt to pursue joint or partial custody, it could be permanent. This case stems from a dispute from seven months ago. According to U.S. Weekly, Edwards consented to grant his daughter’s sole custody to Howard. This means that Howard has sole decision-making authority and physical custody of the infant.

This ruling of the case was made by a Georgia Court, which was under the public eye and has grown increasingly controversial over the weeks.

The custody battle started in September 2024 after Edwards filed a paternity lawsuit in California. He wanted a DNA test to confirm if he was the father of the daughter; during this case, the NBA star was in a long-term relationship with then-girlfriend Shannon Jackson, who also had a baby with him the same year.

Jackson addressed the situation in an Instagram Live in October 2024, she claims that she had no control over that situation and only wanted peace for her family.

“People are making assumptions like we all live in the same house,” she said. “You think I’m not going through this, too?”

The DNA test taken in December 2024 soon confirmed that Edwards was indeed the father of Aubri. Howard has been the sole caregiver since their daughter was born and responded by seeking child support and other medical expenses plus attorney fees.

According to close sources, Edwards made the decision quietly after massive public attention and criticism. Howard is unemployed and relies on life savings and family support, alleging that Edwards has not consistently provided financial assistance.

Family Law expert Melanie Carter said, “This kind of move can be strategic. By not fighting custody, Edwards may be trying to avoid further damage to his public image or simply prioritizing the stability of his daughter’s current living arrangement.”

Despite temporary custody being decided, the legal drama is not over. A child support hearing will take place in a couple of weeks to determine Edwards’s monthly payment.

NBA Star Anthony Edwards has recently been in the courts, wanting to file a motion to seal his paternity and child support lawsuit filed last year. Edwards now wants to seal the case because he claims he has been subjected to harassment and malicious rumors that are now impacting his ability to focus on his career due to the media coverage.

Edwards is currently having a custody battle with his ex, Ayesha Howard , and as of recently, has begged the judge to prevent the public from viewing the case, according to In Touch Weekly.

On April 2, Edwards filed a motion to seal the paternity and child support against Howard over their daughter Aubri Summers Howard , who was born in October 2024. In court, Edwards expressed that he doesn’t want custody or visitation, leaving child support to be determined.

In a declaration, Edwards stated, “Ayesha and I have one minor child together, Aubri Summer Howard. Paternity was recently established through DNA testing. I am not seeking child custody or visitation of Aubri. Therefore, the only issues to be resolved are financial in nature.”

Howard filed a separate case against Edwards in California, asking for child support to be determined in Los Angeles. In response, Edwards accused her of moving to California, hoping to receive a more significant child support award.

According to In Touch Weekly, the California judge ruled that the child support would be established in Georgia.

In the newest motion, Edwards stated that the child support case involved “sensitive child support proceedings concerning a minor child and two high profile individuals.” he also explained that he is an NBA star and Howard is a social media influencer.

Edwards says that the public case has led to massive “public scrutiny, an invasion of privacy, and harm to the minor child.” he desires to make this a private case and that no one from the public should view it. He also argued that the case has no reason to be open to the public.

In the alleged text messages, both Howard and Edwards are having a back-and-forth regarding the pregnancy.

“I’m pregnant…. Wanted to tell you in person but you gave me no other choice. We probably should have kept it cordial, but we’re here right now.” Howard said.

Edwards then responded and said, “Ok. Get the abortion.”

Edwards’s lawyer stated, “The media has already published details that sensationalize the proceedings rather than serve any legitimate public interest, including private text messages, the DNA test, and information about children not subject to the proceeding.”

The lawyer also added, “Public access to these records has invited unwanted interference from the general public, online commentators, and social media users, which has resulted in harassment, doxxing, and malicious speculation that has impacted the parties and their ability to focus on their career and their children’s well-being.”

Howard also wrote a declaration in court, “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. His exact words were that our daughter would be a ‘fatherless child.’”

She then added, “From that point on, Anthony never reached out to me to inquire about my well-being, the well-being of our child, or any of the needs I had during my pregnancy. I did not receive any support—emotional, financial or otherwise—throughout the entire duration of my pregnancy.”

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