Maralee Nichols shared the first photo of her newborn son. The fitness model claims the baby was fathered by NBA star Tristan Thompson.
In the photo obtained by Page Six, Maralee cradles her newborn son in front of a festive Christmas tree. Both mother and son are wearing matching Grinch pajamas. The baby’s face is not seen in the photo.
The 31-year-old fitness model filed a paternity suit against Tristan earlier this year, claiming he fathered her then-unborn baby.
But Tristan hit back, demanding a DNA test after the child was born, but Maralee has not complied.
A counter-lawsuit he filed in Houston — where the child was allegedly conceived — was thrown out by a judge.
The judge stated the suit should be heard in Los Angeles, California where Maralee and her son reside.
At the time of his hookup with Maralee, Tristan was in an on-again, off-again relationship with socialite Khloe Kardashian, 37, the mother of his 3-year-old daughter, True Thompson.
Maralee and Tristan appeared via a Zoom hearing on Dec. 8, where Tristan confessed his Snapchat username was “blkejesus00” and that he used the app to arrange a “hook up” with Maralee.
“We never had any telephone calls, emails, nor did we exchange text messages. We only communicated via the Snapchat application,” Tristan said.
He said he used the app to arrange meetings with women because it automatically deleted their communications.
“I only recall that [Nichols] and I had sexual relations in March of 2021 and at no other time in 2021,” the Sacramento Kings star said. “[Nichols] constantly used the term ‘hook up’ to describe our relationship which was the reality.”
Tristan, 30, also accused Maralee of having a sexually transmitted disease.
He claims Maralee scheduled a labor induction on December 1, due to “medical reasons.” He said herpes was the reason behind the induced labor and he believes that his own health might be at risk.
“Since opening up our private files to the media, I have been contacted by a source confirming that I should be checked because Petitioner has been diagnosed with herpes,” he said. “Therefore, it would make sense that Petitioner had to have a designated delivery date.”
Maralee issued a statement to Page Six, saying:
“Instead of focusing on any negativity, I am choosing to embrace being a mother and doing the best I can for my son. I do not want any further media attention, nor do I want a romantic relationship with Tristan.
“My goal is to raise our son in a safe, healthy, loving and private environment.”
Moving trucks were seen outside Khloe’s Hidden Hills estate, where Tristan had been laying his head until Maralee Nichols’ paternity suit went public.
The moving trucks were presumably there to remove Tristan’s belongings after Khloe threw him out (again).
