Tayyaba
Nia Long, the 52-year-old actress, has taken the initiative to ensure the wellbeing of her son, Kez. Eight months after her choice to part ways from fiance Ime Udoka amid accusations of infidelity, the actress has filed for full custody of the couple’s 11-year-old son. Here’s what we know:
What has Nia Long said to the court in the two’s custody case?
Based on court documents that were obtained by E! News on August 23, Nia Long has filed a petition for full custody of her and her former partner Ime Udoka’s son, Kez, because the basketball coach allegedly failed to provide adequate support to the child. In her petition, Long requested “reasonable visitation” for Udoka that would be consistent with Kez’s best interests, along with payment of attorney and other fees related to the court proceedings. Talking about the effect of this separation and the on Kez, Nia Long, who is also a mother to a 22-year-old son from a previous relationship, said:
“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public. It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him.”
Nia Long
What was the cheating scandal surrounding Ime Udoka?
In September, Ime Udoka, the then-head coach of the Boston Celtics, was suspended for an alleged relationship with a female staff member of the team. While the organizations did not specify which rules had been violated, sources reportedly indicated the coach was facing disciplinary action for an “intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise’s staff.”
In response to the allegations, Ime Udoka, who had been in a relationship with Nia Long since 2015 and was engaged to her at the time, released a statement apologizing to fans and his family. Afterwards, a representative for Long confirmed that the couple broke off their engagement in December but remained devoted to co-parenting their son. The same month, Long spoke out about the fallout from Udoka’s infidelity scandal and its impact on their son.