Elon Musk ordered to Austin family court; accused of withholding kids from musician Grimes

Elon Musk appeared in Travis County family court in Austin on Friday amid an ongoing custody dispute with the mother of three of his children.

State District Judge Catherine Mauzy ordered a small group of spectators out of the courtroom moments after the hearing started because attorneys for Musk and Claire Boucher, who is better known as the musician Grimes, asked that the proceedings take place out of public view.

Both sides cited security concerns about the three children and intense privacy matters surrounding the case.

Musk was surrounded by a team of personal bodyguards as he arrived at the courthouse more than 45 minutes before the 9 a.m. hearing. He remained secluded in a stairwell until moments before the hearing started.

It is a rare moment when Musk is seen in public in Austin.

Musk and Grimes, who have three children together, have been battling over child custody in courts in California and Texas.

On Saturday, Grimes' mother, Sandy Garossino, took to X to post pleas to Musk.

“It was nice seeing you on Father’s Day. I hope you got the card that I helped X make. He was so proud of it,” she wrote. “I’m writing here as the only way I have to reach you. As you know, my 93 year old mother is now at end-of-life palliative care.”

“I am alarmed to learn that the children cannot come as you are withholding them and their needed passport documents from Claire,” Garossino said.

Musk has at least 12 children with three different women. His most recent child was born to Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, with whom he has two other children.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Elon Musk in court in custody dispute with kids from musician Grimes