Usher retains custody of children

A Fulton County judge has ruled there is no reason to change the custody status of music superstar Usher and his ex-wife Tameka Raymond over their two children.

Tameka Raymond filed for an emergency custody hearing asking for temporary custody after their 5-year-old nearly drowned on Monday.

The boy got stuck in a pool drain at Usher’s rented Atlanta home and was rescued by a contractor who administered CPR. The child was alert while being transported to the hospital.

Usher’s attoey contends the incident was an accident, and that those at the home helped save the child’s life.

“This was an accident that could happen to anyone with adult supervision,” Usher’s attoey, John Mayoue, told the court. “He wants to be at his son’s side at the hospital. He doesn’t want to be here today.”

Usher’s aunt, Rena Oden, was caring for the two boys Monday afteoon while Usher was at work, about five minutes away, Mayoue said. Oden’s emotional 911 call was played for the courtroom, and Tameka Raymond cried as she listened to it and during her testimony.

On the stand, she told the court she was not kept informed of who was taking care of her children, despite calls and emails to Usher that were not retued.

“I don’t know where my children are. I don’t know who my children are with,” she said. “He doesn’t confer to me regarding anything.”

Usher was called to the stand shortly before 4 p.m. He told the court he left and went to his studio less than hour before getting a phone call about the incident involving his son.

Furthermore, a hired pool service had cleaned and checked the pool earlier Monday.

Neither Usher nor his ex-wife looked at each other as they waited for the hearing to start. Both were looking down at phones or documents, seemingly oblivious to the crowded courtroom awaiting the hearing, which began around 2:30 p.m., above 30 minutes behind schedule.

Usher was granted full custody of the two boys nearly a year ago.