Demoree Hadley accused her mother, Desiree Perez, of orchestrating a forced psychiatric commitment in South Florida to allegedly sabotage her marriage and isolate her from her husband.
In a lawsuit filed in May and obtained by NBC Miami, Hadley claims Perez—CEO of Roc Nation and longtime business partner of Jay-Z—leveraged her influence and connections to manipulate the mental health system and law enforcement to detain her without cause.
The complaint, filed in Miami-Dade County, accuses Desiree Perez and others of false imprisonment, civil conspiracy and harassment by using the Baker Act and Marchman Act to have her committed to the facility against her will.
According to Hadley’s attorney, Hilton Napoleon II, the situation escalated after a family dispute in Dania Beach in early 2024.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and a mobile crisis unit responded to a call and detained Hadley under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows for involuntary psychiatric evaluations if a person is deemed a danger to themselves or others.
The decision to commit Hadley was based on a phone consultation between her family and Dr. Daniel Bober, chief of psychiatry at Memorial Regional Hospital.
Dr. Bober signed the Baker Act paperwork without personally evaluating Hadley.
“After meeting with Ms. Hadley and speaking with her mental health provider and members of her family, the decision was made to initiate the Baker Act in order to ensure her safety. This action is consistent with Florida law, which aims to protect individuals experiencing a crisis. Failing to take appropriate action and provide necessary care for Ms. Hadley would have been a breach of Dr. Bober’s ethical and professional obligations.” an attorney for Dr. Bober told NBC Miami in a statement.
Hadley was initially taken to Memorial Regional Hospital, then transferred to Life Skills South Florida in Deerfield Beach. Despite testing negative for drugs, she was held under the Marchman Act, a Florida law that allows for involuntary substance abuse treatment.
She remained at the facility until her release on April 8, 2024.
The lawsuit claims the commitment was part of a broader effort by Perez to separate Hadley from her husband, Javon Hadley.
According to court documents, Perez allegedly made false claims of domestic violence against Javon, which Hadley denies.
Desiree Perez has denied all allegations and in a countersuit, she stated her actions were motivated by concern for her daughter’s well-being and her mental health.
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