How Old Was Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Dannielynn When Larry Birkhead Got Custody?
Reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter Dannielynn Birkhead recently turned 17 and her father Larry wished her a happy birthday through throwback photos of when she was a baby. But he didn’t have newborn photos alongside Dannielynn because he only gained custody of her after Anna died.
Dannielynn was five months old when Anna suddenly died in a Florida hotel. Custody of who would raise the baby came into question because Anna originally said that boyfriend Howard K. Stern was Dannielynn’s father. But Larry insisted he was Dannielynn’s father and a wild court case ensued. Anna and Larry had a romantic fling that lasted for several months. She broke off the relationship but was pregnant.
After several weeks, a DNA test proved that Larry was the father. At that point, Dannielynn was seven months old.
Larry Birkhead was awarded custody of 7-month-old Dannielynn
Despite the court battle, Stern backed off from pursuing custody of Dannielyn once DNA proved he was not the biological father.
“I’m the father,” Larry said at a press conference (via People). “Thank you for your support. Thank you for the people who got me this far. My baby’s gonna be coming home pretty soon. Things are moving quickly here, and we’ll see what happens.”
Stern hugged Larry and made a statement implying that perhaps he would still be in the child’s life. “We’re gonna do what we can to make sure that the best interests of Dannielynn are carried out,” he said. “And I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure that he gets sole custody. Larry can come over to the house and spend as much time with [Dannielynn] as he wants to right now.”
Dannielynn has grown up living with her dad Larry
Once custody was decided, Dannielynn started living a quiet life with Larry in Kentucky. Larry shares proud dad moments on Instagram, which includes the annual father-daughter Kentucky Derby outing. Larry met Anna Nicole at the Kentucky Derby so they always make it a big event.
But other than big events, birthdays, and holidays, Larry has tried to give his daughter a normal upbringing. “I make it as normal as I can. She’s like any other kid; she goes to school with every other kid, and she’s a Girl Scout. She does things that I think her mom would be really proud of her for,” he told Steve Harvey (via the Courier-Journal).
Larry’s latest birthday Instagram post took fans down memory lane. He filled it with baby pictures and moments she shared with her mother.
“Happy 17th Birthday Dannielynn! I am so proud of you in each and every way. Wishing you the best day ever!” he wrote. “You are funny, crazy smart, pretty and just about everything I could ever imagine. Your Mom would be so proud of you, I sure am. Happy Birthday! Love Dad. By the way, when you asked me if you could live in my basement forever. I said yes, but I didn’t have the heart to tell you there aren’t any basements in Florida.”
Anna Nicole’s friends claimed she didn’t want Larry Birkhead to raise Dannielynn
Despite what appears to be a sweet upbringing, Anna’s friends Pol Atteu and Patrik Simpson claimed that she never wanted Larry to be in Dannielynn’s life.
“The last person in the world Anna would ever want to raise Dannielynn is Larry Birkhead,” Simpson said on the Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast. “She told us that. So that’s not me saying that. That is Anna telling me in more ways than I don’t ever want him near her.”
The couple also said they were a big part of Dannielynn’s life when she was with Anna. “We raised that baby,” he said. “We named her. And that baby is just this innocent little, beautiful spirit that embodies everything that we know about our best friend, Anna Nicole.”
