Featured Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Topics: Celebrity, Parenting, Miley Cyrus
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Celebrity, Parenting, Miley Cyrus
American country singer Billy Ray Cyrus has pushed back at a lawsuit from a woman who is claiming she is Miley Cyrus' biological mother, dismissing the 'delusional' accusations as 'false and absurd'.
The woman in question, named Jayme Lee, alleged that she gave birth to Miley at 12 years old in a lawsuit she filed in May, obtained by the Daily Mail.
She said she struck a 'private adoption deal' with 64-year-old Billy Ray and Miley's mother, Tish Cyrus, 58, only to suffer 'severe emotional distress' when Billy Ray supposedly 'misrepresented the circumstances' of how the alleged adoption unfolded.
Lee added that she expected to name now-33-year-old Miley and take on nanny and piano-teaching duties under this supposed agreement.
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Her suit accused the couple of a 'breach of contract, fraud and misrepresentation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and unlawful interference with parental rights'.
She later claimed the Cyruses cut off contact and 'threatened [her] with police action' after Miley was born in her amended filing in June.
Lee sought supervised DNA tests and a review of the adoption’s legality, but a judge rejected her bid for a trial in October.
Last month (20 November), Billy Ray filed a motion to dismiss all of Lee's claims, arguing the suit was for the 'purposes of harassing' him and his family, the Daily Mail reported.
He then filed a response at the start of this month (1 December) opposing Lee’s amended complaint, saying he had only recently learned of the case.
His lawyer told the outlet that the court threw out the suit a few days later (5 December).
"The Court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice this morning and awarded Mr Cyrus the recovery of his reasonable and necessary attorney’s fees and costs," the statement reads.
Billy Ray and Tish share Miley, Braison and Noah, and he adopted Brandi and Trace from Tish’s previous marriage. The pair ended their nearly 28-year marriage in 2022.
The father-of-three recently congratulated Miley on her engagement to musician Maxx Morando, after years of being estranged from his daughter.
"So happy you and MaxxAgazillion found each other!!!! Congratulations! Happy to see you both so happy!!! love Dad," he shared on Instagram.
Tyla has reached out to Billy Ray Cyrus' representatives for further comment.
Miley and Maxx first started dating in 2021, with the drummer popping the question right before the Christmas period while the pair enjoyed a holiday together in Japan.
A source told PEOPLE that Miley is 'thrilled' to be engaged to Maxx and is living 'exactly the life she wanted'.
"The ring is so her. It has a cool, boho-rock vibe to it. It's beautiful. She didn't feel the need to announce her engagement. Maxx is very private, and it's influencing how she lives her life now," the insider added.