Perez Hilton’s three children fled his Miami, Florida house during an apparent mental breakdown.
In a statement, Hilton’s family members revealed his children, niece, and sister were inside the home.
“When it became clear that Perez was experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself, they immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma,” the family said.
“Our highest priority right now is helping the children begin to heal from what they experienced. An important part of that process is allowing them to safely return home and begin rebuilding a sense of security and normalcy.”
The family asked for privacy for the children, and asked the media to stay away from the house.
Hilton was hospitalized for a mental health evaluation after he displayed self-harming behavior during a livestream on Tuesday, August 4.
The family said they have been able to communicate with Hilton in the hospital, which gives them hope.
The video shows the naked 48-year-old blogger with a substance that appears to be blood smeared all over his body. He made slicing motions on his arms, chest and neck with the knife while moaning into the camera.
The celebrity blogger was alone in the house at the time of the incident. Miami-Dade police rushed to his home after receiving multiple 911 calls from concerned TikTok users.
After speaking with members of Hilton’s family outside the house, police “tactically disengaged” and retreated from the house.
“In many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize deescalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication,” the Miami-Dade sheriff’s office said in a statement.
“Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies and the public.”
TikTok banned Hilton’s account within 15 minutes. A spokesperson for TikTok confirmed to PEOPLE that a glitch prevented them from immediately banning Hilton’s account when he violated TikTok’s nudity and violence policy.