Dwight Howard In Custody Battle Over 13-Year-Old Daughter Amid 'Dancing With The Stars' Appearance

Dwight Howard is not letting his family issues stop him from enjoying the spotlight on Season 33 of "Dancing with the Stars."

The former NBA star finds himself entangled in a high-stakes custody battle over his 13-year-old daughter. This legal struggle adds to the drama surrounding Howard, who previously faced legal challenges from the mother of his late ex-girlfriend, Melissa Rios, over visitation rights for his son, David. 

As Dwight Howard vies for the Mirrorball Trophy with his partner Daniella Karagach, he is also fighting to secure his place in his daughter's life, making this season of "DWTS" a high-stakes affair both on and off the dance floor.

Howard is petitioning the court to revise the existing custody arrangement with his ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Render. As he twirls his way through "DWTS" with his dance partner Daniella Karagach, he is also focused on securing a stable future for his daughter. 

The 38-year-old's legal team filed the petition in November 2023, aiming to secure primary legal and physical custody of Layla, as well as to eliminate his $3,000 monthly child support payments.

Howard's request for a custody overhaul comes after he and Render initially reached a joint custody agreement in January 2023. 

According to court documents, Howard cites "several changes in circumstances materially affecting the welfare of the minor child such that a modification of the custody and parenting time provisions" as the basis for his petition. 

The current arrangement awards Render primary physical custody while Howard holds secondary custody rights.

In his recent court filings obtained by In Touch, Howard raised serious concerns about Render's ability to care for their daughter. 

The TV personality alleged that he was concerned about Layla's "life, health and safety," citing issues such as Render's reluctance to discuss relocating to Florida and troubling social media posts by the teenager.

These posts reportedly featured inappropriate content and behavior, which Howard argued reflected poorly on Render's parenting. The court previously sided with Howard, granting him temporary primary physical custody in January and halting his monthly child support payments. 

Render was awarded visitation rights subject to mutual agreement, while Howard held the final decision-making authority on all matters related to Layla's care.

Howard's ongoing custody struggles are nothing new for the former basketballer, who previously found himself in a legal dispute involving his son. 

In the notable case from 2020, Howard was sued by Edelmira Vega Rios, the mother of his late ex-girlfriend Melissa Rios, over visitation rights for his son, David.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Edelmira petitioned for grandparent visitation, arguing that it was in David's best interest to maintain a relationship with her. 

She highlighted her significant role in David's life, having been a caretaker since his birth and fostering a strong bond with him over the years.

Edelmira's request extended beyond occasional visits, as she sought regular visitation, including during the academic school year. Additionally, she asked the court to require Howard to cover her legal fees, intensifying the stakes in the legal battle.

Two years after seeking visitation rights, the family of Melissa Rios, the late mother of Howard's son, launched a legal battle against a Calabasas apartment complex. The family alleged that a fatal slip caused by a water leak from a broken toilet led to Melissa's untimely death.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Howard's son, David, alongside his grandmother, Edelmira, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against ASN Calabasas.

ASN Calabasas is the property owner and landlord of the apartment where the incident took place. The lawsuit held the apartment complex responsible for dangerous plumbing conditions that the family claims directly contributed to Melissa's death.

The lawsuit argued that ASN Calabasas failed in its duty to inform residents of "dangerous conditions" within the property, specifically pointing to the deteriorating state of the toilet and associated plumbing components.

The family claims that Melissa's fatal injuries were "as a result of the injuries received when she slipped and fell on water and/or similar substance leaking and/or leaking or seeping" from the toilet.

Melissa was initially reported to have died from an epileptic seizure on March 27, 2020, at just 31 years old. At the time of her passing, she was alone in her Calabasas apartment, while David, then 6 years old, was safe with his father in Atlanta, Georgia.

The timing of Melissa's death, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, meant her family had to hold a small outdoor memorial service, adhering to social distancing guidelines imposed by the church.

Reflecting on the tragedy in 2020, Howard shared the profound difficulty of coping with the loss, especially when it came to explaining the situation to his young son.

"My son's mom, she had passed away a month and a half ago and it's extremely difficult for me to try to understand how to talk to my son, who's 6 years old, just about the whole situation," Howard shared at the time.

As Dwight Howard's courtroom drama continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether these issues will affect his performance on the "DWTS" dance floor.