Fast & Furious leading man Tyrese Gibson finds himself at the center of a new string of headlines — this time not for his onscreen talent or musical chops, but for a very personal family decision. His daughter Shayla, according to reports, turned 18 and decided to stay with her father, signifying an end to the $10,000-a-month child support he was sending his former wife, Norma Mitchell.
But as with much in the universe of celebrity and family law, the realities might be more complicated than the allegations circulating on social media.
The story took off after a January 2025 social media post claimed Shayla, now 18, had made the decision to live full-time with her father. The post praised Tyrese as an “amazing man” and said Shayla had realized she’d been wrongly influenced against him. It also stated that, because she had reached adulthood, Tyrese was no longer required to pay child support.
But a significant caveat accompanied that same post: Shayla might still be 17. According to publicly available records, she was born on Aug. 17, 2007, which means she will not officially turn 18 until later this year. Additionally, legal documents and past statements suggest that Tyrese and Norma have had a 50/50 custody agreement for years, which complicates the claim that Shayla suddenly switched households at the stroke of midnight on her birthday.
Tyrese and Norma Mitchell divorced in 2009, beginning a long and often painful custody journey. In 2017, Norma accused Tyrese of administering strict physical discipline, and his visitation rights were briefly cut. No criminal charges were ever filed, though the allegations did receive an investigation. The court later regranted joint custody, a decision Tyrese publicly celebrated at the time.
Legal skirmishes continued, though, especially around money. In 2022, Tyrese was ordered to pay $10,690 per month in child support for his younger daughter Soraya with ex-wife Samantha Lee, and claimed in court that he was also paying $13,000 a month for Shayla. By late 2024, citing a dramatic drop in income — reportedly down to about $39,000 a month — Tyrese filed to have his support payments reduced.
As the recent rumors flew, so too, went public opinion. However, many fans and followers praised Shayla’s reported decision to live with her father this time, seeing it as a loving reunion after years of struggle.
“Shayla finally seeing through the lies and standing with her dad? That’s powerful,”
one X user wrote.
Others were more skeptical.
“Why are we celebrating unverified gossip? She’s not even 18 yet,”
another user commented.
“Let’s not use a teenager’s life for likes and clout.”
Some posts even questioned the motives of both parents, bringing up broader concerns about how high child support payments are used and how children can become caught in the middle.
In most U.S. states, child support typically ends when a child turns 18. However, laws vary. For example:
In California, support may continue until age 19 if the child is still in high school full-time.
In Australia, support usually ends at 18, though arrangements can extend under special agreements.
So if Shayla truly is 18 and no longer under her mother’s care, it’s legally plausible for Tyrese’s payments to end. But again, as of this writing, no court filings or official announcements have confirmed any such change.
Tyrese, who has been vocal about his fatherhood journey, has reportedly welcomed this new chapter with gratitude. If Shayla has indeed chosen to live with him, it’s a moment he seems to view not just as a legal milestone, but as a deeply emotional one.
In earlier interviews and social media posts, he has expressed how painful it was to feel alienated from his daughter — often accusing his ex-wife of turning Shayla against him. Now, if the online reports are to be believed, Shayla has reassessed her relationship with both parents and made a decision rooted in her own perspective.
“She realized I never left her. I was always fighting for her,” Tyrese allegedly said in a now-deleted comment. “Now she sees it.”
Whether or not Shayla has officially moved in with her father, her transition into adulthood is bound to bring change — both personal and legal. For Tyrese, it may mean the end of years of legal battles. For Norma, it could mean navigating a new phase of motherhood. And for Shayla, it marks the beginning of independence and her own narrative.
