Elon Musk’s already complicated personal life has taken another dramatic turn, as 26-year-old Ashley St. Clair has filed a lawsuit seeking sole custody of a child she claims to have had with the billionaire tech mogul. The lawsuit, filed in New York City on Friday, alleges that Musk is the father of a baby boy, referred to as R.S.C., who was reportedly born in September 2024.
If true, this child would be Musk’s 13th—further adding to his growing list of children and legal disputes over parental responsibility.
According to the court documents, St. Clair accuses Musk, 53, of wanting to keep the baby’s existence a secret. She alleges that despite acknowledging the child in written correspondences, Musk has made minimal effort to be involved in his son’s life, having only seen him three times since birth.
She also claims Musk has “ghosted” her entirely since she went public with the news, cutting off all communication.
St. Clair's lawsuit sheds light on their alleged relationship, stating that the two began a romantic connection around May 2023, and she conceived their child in January 2024. As part of her case, she reportedly has text messages and other written exchanges from Musk that acknowledge his paternity of the child.
While Musk has not issued any official statements regarding the lawsuit, he did respond cryptically on X (formerly Twitter) with a simple comment: “Whoa,” under a post claiming that St. Clair had been pursuing him for years.
The billionaire has remained otherwise silent on the matter, but the lawsuit adds another chapter to his ongoing family dramas.
St. Clair’s decision to file for sole custody reportedly comes after she initially respected Musk’s alleged request for privacy. However, things changed when a tabloid journalist began pressuring her for a statement, suggesting they were hours away from revealing the story.
Feeling backed into a corner, St. Clair decided to take legal action, formally requesting full custody of R.S.C.
Her legal representative, Brian Glicklich, explained that St. Clair had no choice but to come forward, as she could no longer keep the situation under wraps. Now, she is not only demanding sole custody but is also seeking financial support from Musk, who is one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
This lawsuit is just the latest in a string of publicized disputes surrounding Musk’s ever-expanding family. Just this week, his former partner and the mother of three of his children, musician Grimes, made headlines by publicly pleading with Musk on X to stop ignoring their child’s “medical crisis.”
While details of that situation remain vague, it has sparked further discussions about Musk’s role as a father and how he juggles his many children across multiple relationships.
With several of his children born to different mothers—including Grimes and Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis—Musk’s family dynamics have long been a topic of public interest.
The billionaire, who has spoken openly about his desire to boost population growth, has previously defended his parenting style, arguing that he provides for his children financially while managing his responsibilities as a business leader.
As the lawsuit unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Musk will formally acknowledge St. Clair’s claims or challenge them in court. Given his past legal entanglements, he is no stranger to custody battles, but this latest case could bring even more scrutiny to his personal life.
Meanwhile, St. Clair appears determined to move forward with her legal fight, seeking not only sole custody but also clarity on Musk’s role in the child’s upbringing.
Whether this case will result in a quiet settlement or a lengthy court battle is unclear, but one thing is certain—Musk’s name will continue to dominate headlines, both for his business ventures and his ever-growing list of children.
