Paris Hilton Speaks Out After Sparking Controversy By Not Having Son Wear Life Jacket On Boat

Paris Hilton responded to criticism after her TikTok video of her baby boy Phoenix stumbling about onboard a moving catamaran without a life jacket sparked controversy.

The 43-year-old socialite and Hilton Hotels heiress posted the clip on Tuesday with the caption:

"Watching Phoenix explore the world has been so special to me! 🥹✨ I am so grateful to be a #SlivingMom 💖✨."

The video followed the one-year-old crawling and padding around the deck of the catamaran and jumping onto the netted areas above water between hulls as the watercraft was cruising at a moderate speed.

You can watch the video here.

Social media users immediately shared concerns.

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

Hilton expressed appreciation for the concern for her baby boy's safety.

But instead of acknowledging the potential risk of navigating unpredictable waters with children, Hilton assured commenters that Phoenix was safe since she and her husband Carter Reum were always standing by.

"Hey Mamma’s, thank you for the advice & always caring about my #CutesieCrew 🥺 It’s a big boat & my husband and I are following him around everywhere & watching like hawks," she wrote in the comments, adding: 

"My babies are my world!🥰💗"

@ParisHilston/TikTok

Although children's life jacket requirements vary from state to state, all children under the age of 13 are required to wear personal flotation devices (PFDs) while on a moving boat, according to U.S. federal law.

The only exceptions are if the child is below deck, in an enclosed cabin, or if the boat is not underway.

Buzzfeed noted that "depending on the state, the size of Paris's boat may have exceeded local requirements for life jackets."

Hilton's catamaran appeared to be a Sunreef 80 Echo, which is roughly 80 feet in length.

Users weighed in on her clapback.

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

@parishilton/TikTok

This was not the first time Phoenix was spotted near water without a life jacket.

Earlier this month, Hilton posted a summer vacation compilation TikTok showing Phoenix sitting on the edge of a deck above water.

In December 2019, Hilton began dating Reum, a longtime friend of the Hilton family who is an author, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist who founded the angel investment firm M13.

The couple tied the knot in Los Angeles on November 11, 2021.

In addition to having Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum, the couple also have a daughter, London Marilyn Hilton Reum. Both children were born via surrogacy in January 2023 and November 2023, respectively.

Last October, Hilton defended Phoenix against internet trolls who mocked the child with mean comments about the shape and size of his head after she posted a photo of her holding the then eight-month-old during a trip to New York City.

Some people wondered if the child was suffering from a medical abnormality such as encephalitis, a condition involving inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

Another urged Hilton to have her infant son "evaluated by a pediatric surgeon" and get an MRI "to rule out a blockage of spinal fluid in his brain just to be on the safe side."

One commented, "Something's not right" while another drew a comparison with "Stewie," the Family Guy cartoon toddler with a disproportionately large cranium that resembled a football.

In response to the unsolicited concerns and suggestions, she wrote:

"🥺😢There are some sick people in this world.☹️My angel is perfectly healthy."

"And yes, of course he has been to a doctor, he just has a large brain."