Newly released 911 audio has revealed how Perez Hilton's sister raised the alarm on the night he livestreamed acts of self-harm on TikTok in August. TMZ published the recording on Thursday, October 29.
It was supplied by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and is separate from the emergency dispatch audio made public earlier in August. In the call, Hilton's sister, Barbara Lavandeira, speaks calmly as she tells the dispatcher that her brother is having a "meltdown." She tells the dispatcher that he had been suicidal the previous week, and describes him as injured but awake and breathing in a bathroom.
She also explains why she left the house: "I did step out of the house because I have his kids and my kid with me." The dispatcher tells her deputies are on the way. The incident happened on August 4, 2026.
Deputies went to the Miami-area home after receiving multiple calls about someone livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media. Hilton was taken to hospital and admitted under Florida's Baker Act, which allows an involuntary emergency psychiatric evaluation of up to 72 hours.
He spent several days in hospital. His family said in August that he needed surgery after significant blood loss and faced a long recovery.
A Florida judge also granted his mother temporary legal custody of his three children, and an August ruling allowed supervised visits once he received psychiatric clearance. The incident sparked widespread concern across various social media platforms regarding content moderation and mental health support for digital creators.
Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of immediate intervention when individuals exhibit signs of severe psychological distress, particularly during live broadcasts. Family members and close associates have urged the public to respect their privacy during this challenging rehabilitation period as Perez Hilton focuses on his recovery.
Mental health advocates have also pointed to this case as a stark reminder of the pressures faced by online personalities and the necessity for robust support systems.