Tristan Thompson Granted Legal Guardianship Over Younger Brother Amari After Their Mother’s Death (original) (raw)

Tristan Thompson is now the legal guardian of his younger brother, Amari. The court ruling comes just over one year after the January 2023 death of their mother, Andrea.

On Monday, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted Thompson, 32, sole guardianship of his 17-year-old brother, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

Thompson filed for full guardianship on Sept. 8., claiming that their father, Trevor Thompson, has been absent from his younger brother's life since 2014. The NBA star also asserted that he is Amari's closest living family member.

According to the docs, "The Court finds that it is not in the Minor best interest to be returned to his/her parents' previous country of nationality" of Canada, where Amari was born. The court also found "reunification" between Amari and Trevor is "not viable due to neglect, abandonment under California law."

Andrea Thompson, Tristan Thompson, and Amari Thompson attend The Amari Thompson Soiree in support of Epilepsy Toronto on August 9, 2018 in Toronto, Canada.

George Pimentel/Getty

Amari has epilepsy as well as other medical conditions that require around-the-clock support, which led to Thompson's request for guardianship. Per the initial Sept. 8 filing, "Amari is a minor and has medical conditions that render him unable to take care of himself or seek gainful employment."

"Appointing a guardian for Amari would be in his best interest because it would ensure that someone would be responsible for providing and fulfilling his basic needs,” Thompson said, per the docs.

He also told the court he would like to assist his brother in managing and investing the $103,475 he received from their mother’s inheritance.

Tristan Thompson and his mother Andrea Thompson attend The Amari Thompson Soiree in support of Epilepsy on August 9, 2018 in Toronto, Canada.

George Pimentel/Getty

Per the court's ruling, Thompson was granted the authority to “manage ward’s finances and assets, travel with the ward within the United States of America and internationally, enroll ward in social and other extracurricular activities, decide living arrangements of the ward [and] obtain legal counsel on behalf of the ward."

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According to the initial filing, Amari lives with the NBA player in Hidden Hills, California. Prior to being in Hidden Hills, the brothers stayed with Khloé Kardashian after extreme weather damaged Thompson's home.

Following the death of their mother, Andrea, on Jan. 5, Thompson flew with Kardashian, 39, to Toronto to join his family. The Hulu reality star and Thompson share a son, Tatum, 1, and a daughter True, 5.