A newly released Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office report provides a detailed account of the Aug. 4 mental health crisis that left celebrity blogger Perez Hilton hospitalized after authorities say he livestreamed what appeared to be acts of self-harm from his Westchester home.
How deputies say the incident unfolded
According to the report released Friday, deputies responded after multiple calls about a person livestreaming themselves self-harming. The initial call came from Hilton's sister, Barbara, who told deputies she found her brother inside the home with a knife cutting himself and that he had been suicidal the previous week and briefly sought hospital care.
- Location: Westchester residence in Miami-Dade County
- Date of incident: Aug. 4
- Subject: Mario Lavandeira (known as Perez Hilton), 48 years old
- Immediate action: Treated on scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, then hospitalized and placed under a Baker Act mental health evaluation
Barbara told deputies that on the day of the incident her brother was “unusually quiet” and had locked the bedroom door — behavior she described as out of the ordinary. She said she unlocked the door and found him naked and covered in blood, with wounds to his body.
"Aug. 4 will forever be one of the darkest days my family and I have ever experienced," Barbara Lavandeira said in an interview, according to the report.
Children and family safety
The report states Barbara fled the residence with Hilton's three children and her own daughter after discovering him in the bathroom. As she began to drive away, deputies arrived on scene and Barbara reported that Hilton came outside naked and bloody and began banging on the driver's window of the vehicle.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel provided on-scene care for multiple lacerations and an overdose before Hilton was transported to a hospital for further treatment and evaluation under state law.
Legal and medical response
Officials said Hilton was taken for a mental health evaluation commonly known in Florida as the Baker Act, which allows involuntary detention for psychiatric assessment when a person is deemed a danger to themselves or others. The sheriff's report notes prior concern after his sister said he had been suicidal the week before and had previously been taken to a hospital for help.
Deputies' intervention followed multiple community reports of a person livestreaming self-harm on social media, prompting a coordinated response from law enforcement and fire rescue units. The report does not provide additional information about Hilton's current medical condition or any ongoing criminal investigation.
Local context and community implications
The incident highlights several issues that resonate with Miami residents: the role of families in identifying and reporting mental health crises, the use of emergency services for behavioral health emergencies, and the safety of children present during those crises. Miami-Dade officials have, in recent years, worked to expand coordinated responses between law enforcement and mental health professionals, though reports like this underscore the continued need for resources and timely intervention.
Neighbors and community groups in Westchester often rely on a combination of 911 reporting and local outreach programs when a resident experiences a psychiatric emergency. This case illustrates how quickly such incidents can escalate and the importance of immediate medical attention and secure placement for psychiatric evaluation.
As the investigation and medical treatment continue, the sheriff’s office report serves as the primary public account of what deputies encountered and the steps taken to secure the scene and ensure the safety of family members and first responders.
