Cher has sought guardianship of her 47-year-old son, Elijah Blue Allman, due to his substance abuse and mental health issues. According to documents obtained by People, filed yesterday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the singer requests to be the sole guardian of her son’s estate as he is “substantially unable to manage his financial resources.”
The statement asserts that a guardian is “urgently needed… to protect Elijah’s property from loss or injury,” explaining that he “is currently unable to manage his assets due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues.”
“Elijah is entitled to regular distributions from the Trust, but given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, [Cher] is concerned that all funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on medications, leaving Elijah with no resources to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” reads the document.
It is added that Allman’s ex-wife, Marie Angela King, cannot be his guardian because “their tumultuous relationship has been marked by a cycle of drug dependence and mental health crises.”
This follows earlier reports this year that Cher had hired four men to abduct her son and prevent him from reconciling with King. The singer responded to the rumors in a statement to People, confirming that it “was not true.”
The accusation emerged in September in recently surfaced divorce documents concerning Allman – Cher’s son with Gregg Allman – and King. According to the documents, the couple filed for divorce in 2021, but in November 2022, they reportedly reconciled for 12 days. It was during this period, on November 30, that four men entered their New York hotel room and kidnapped Allman.
On December 4, 2022, King wrote a statement saying, “I am currently unaware of my husband’s health status or whereabouts. I am very worried and concerned for him.” She also mentioned that one of the four men admitted they “were hired by the signatory’s mother,” adding, “Since August 2022, I have been told that I am not allowed to see or speak to [Allman], who is currently in isolation in a treatment facility that has not been disclosed to me. I have also been told that [Allman] does not have access to his phone.”
In addition to denying the alleged kidnapping, Cher refused to further comment on the matter. However, she offered an additional statement regarding her son’s long struggle with substance abuse.
“I don’t suffer from any issues different from millions of people in the United States,” she said. “I am a mother. That’s my job: somehow, try to help my children. You do anything for your children. Whenever you can help them, you do it, because that’s being a mother. But it’s joy, even with anguish – most of all, when you think about your children, you smile and love them, and try to be there for them.”
The court statement this week confirms that Cher has “worked tirelessly to get Elijah into treatment and provide him with the help he needs.”
“[Cher] loves Elijah immensely and has always acted with his best interests in mind,” the document states. It is also noted that the singer “has not been able to discuss her preferences regarding the appointment of a temporary conservator” due to her “current mental and physical health issues.”
The hearing for a temporary guardianship order is scheduled for January 5, 2024, followed by a hearing for a permanent order on March 6, 2024.
