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American R&B singer Chris Brown has been ordered by a California court to pay nearly $13 million in damages to his former housekeeper, Maria Avila, after she was severely injured in a dog attack at his Los Angeles-area home.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday, June 30, following a two-week trial in which a jury found Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, liable for negligence over the December 2020 incident.

According to court proceedings, Avila was attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd kept on Brown’s Tarzana, California, property, while she was taking out the trash. The attack left her with serious injuries.

Avila was awarded $12.9 million in damages. In addition, her sister, Patricia Avila, who witnessed the attack while working at the property, received $885,000 for emotional distress. Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was also awarded $50,000. Speaking after the ruling, the family’s attorney, Michael C. Murphy Jr., expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying the verdict brought justice after more than five years of legal proceedings.

Brown maintained during the trial that the dog was kept strictly for security purposes and was not his personal pet. However, testimony presented in court alleged that after the attack, the singer left the scene instead of assisting the victim or calling emergency services.

According to evidence heard by the jury, Brown drove around for several hours while members of his staff contacted emergency responders and attended to the injured housekeeper. Brown told the court he stayed away because he feared his presence would trigger intense media attention if he appeared at the scene or spoke during the emergency call.

Before the trial, Brown acknowledged some responsibility for the incident. He also testified that he had warned Maria Avila and her sister not to enter certain outdoor areas unless accompanied by security personnel because of the dogs on the property.

The two sisters disputed that claim, telling the court they never received such a warning and suggesting language barriers would have made such a conversation unlikely. The ruling comes just days after Brown launched a co-headlining stadium tour across the United States with fellow R&B star Usher.

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Nigerian TikTok content creator Habeeb Hamzat, widely known as Peller, has rubbished widespread speculation that his fiancée, Jarvis, is expecting their first child, insisting the couple has no immediate plans to start a family.

Speculations about Jarvis’ alleged pregnancy have circulated across social media in recent weeks, with many users claiming that recent photos and videos of the influencer suggested she was showing a baby bump.

The speculation intensified after footage of the couple shopping for their wedding asoebi fabric surfaced online.

Some social media users pointed to Jarvis’ appearance in the video, alleging that her stomach looked noticeably larger and concluding that she might be pregnant.

Addressing the claims during a livestream, Peller firmly denied the rumours, describing them as false and urging fans to stop spreading unverified information about their personal lives.

According to the social media personality, he and Jarvis have agreed to focus on building their careers and financial stability before considering parenthood.

Expressing his frustration over the persistent speculation, Peller explained that people had misinterpreted Jarvis’ appearance, stating that her stomach looked bigger simply because she had eaten late at night rather than because she was pregnant.

“I’m vexed that people are saying you’re pregnant. Can a pregnant woman cook at this time? I will get her pregnant, but right now, I’m still making a token for myself. I’m not ready for a baby,” he said.

He added that becoming financially successful remains his priority before taking on the responsibilities of raising children.

“I have to be making billions before thinking about pregnancy. Don’t put any pregnancy on my head. It’s late-night food that’s causing that big stomach,” he added.

Peller’s comments have since generated mixed reactions online, with some fans praising him for being open about his plans and emphasising the importance of financial preparedness before starting a family. Others, however, criticised the growing culture of speculating about the private lives of public figures based solely on their appearance.

The couple, who are among Nigeria’s most followed social media personalities, have continued to attract public attention since announcing their engagement.Geographic Reference

Peller proposed to Jarvis during a romantic trip to Ghana, a moment that quickly went viral across several social media platforms.

Shortly after the engagement, he also revealed that he had paid Jarvis’ bride price, signalling another major step toward their planned wedding and further exciting fans who have closely followed their relationship.

Despite the excitement surrounding their upcoming marriage, Peller has made it clear that becoming parents is a decision the couple intends to make only when they both feel fully prepared.

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By Francesca Hangeior

Celebrity lawyer Rita Amy Aduba has weighed in on the reported child custody dispute involving actress Regina Daniels and her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, explaining the conditions the actress must reportedly meet before gaining access to their two sons.

Speaking in a video, Aduba said she reviewed a 15-page High Court judgment, which she claimed granted Regina supervised access to the children rather than denying her visitation rights.

According to the lawyer, the court ordered that Regina’s visits be supervised by the Abuja Social Welfare Office, stressing that neither parent should be excluded from the children’s lives.

Aduba listed the reported conditions contained in the judgment as follows:
Regina’s access to the children must be supervised by the Abuja Social Welfare Office.

The visits must ensure the children are protected from harm.

She is reportedly prohibited from bringing the children into contact with four named individuals: Samuel Ojeugu, Destiny Ojeofo, Ngozi Aniote Izuegu and Ijeoma Josephine Otabofina, popularly known as Phyna.

Temporary custody of the children remains with Senator Ned Nwoko pending the determination of the case.

Regina is required to undergo confirmatory drug tests at designated laboratories to establish that she is free from substance abuse.

She must also demonstrate that she is mentally fit during visits with the children.

Aduba maintained that the court’s decision was aimed at protecting the welfare of the children while preserving the parental rights of both parties.