112’s Q Embroiled In Secret Paternity Drama Over Alleged Love Child

Celebrity Arrivals to the 2014 Steve Harvey Neighborhood Awards on August 9, 2014 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA
Featuring: Q Parker
Where: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
When: 09 Aug 2014
Credit: WENN.com

Married R&B Singer Says He Doesn’t Know If He’s Really The Father Of His 11 Year Old Son

112’s Q is waging a secret legal battle over whether he really is the father of an 11 year old love child that he’s been paying to support since the boy was born.

A judge has granted Q’s request to take a DNA test last week to see if he was really the father of Josiah Barnett after the singer claimed that the boy’s mom, Leah Steele Barnett, manipulated him into the child support agreement by threatening to tell Parker’s wife about their affair, according to court papers obtained by BOSSIP.

Q -real name Quinnes Parker – said in court papers that he was forced into the child support deal through “acts of fraud and duress,” and Steele Barnett only produced testing results that were supposed to identify genetic defects, and not an actual DNA test to prove he was the father.

“In our case, Ms. Steele used the results of this exam to pressure Mr. Parker into stipulating he was the father of her child and agreeing to a support judgment without the benefit of counsel,” Q’s petition says. “Moreover, knowing that Mr. Parker was married at the time if their affair, Ms. Steele used the threat of disclosure of such to Mr. Parker’s wife and family as a method to induce Mr. Parker into consenting to support of her child.”

Parker said that after he agreed to the child support order, Steele Barnett blocked several of his attempts to get a paternity test.

Parker, who has participated in a fatherhood initiative, insisted in court papers that he’s not trying to shirk his responsibilities of being a father, but just wants to know if the boy is really his son.

“Ultimately, Mr. Parker is not looking to avoid responsibility if Ms. Steele’s child is his,” Parker’s petition reads. “However, Mr. Parker simply wishes to base his support on trustworthy paternity results with a paternity agreement he is not forced into as a hostage of his marital situation and stature as an entertainer with assistance of competent counsel.”

Q Parker of 112, Faith Evans, Slim of 112 and Michael ‘Mike’ Keith of 112 perform onstage during the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Featuring: Quinnes Parker, Q Parker, Faith Evans, Slim, Marvin Scandrick, 112, Michael Keith, Mike Keith
Where: Miami, Florida, United States
When: 10 Sep 2016
Credit: JLN Photography/WENN.com

Besides questioning whether the baby was his, Q also filed a petition in court to drastically reduce the amount of monthly child support that he is required to pay. If he is indeed Josiah’s dad, he wants the child support amount dropped from $2,250 a month to $309.27. Q argued in court papers obtained by BOSSIP that he can’t afford the current child support amount because his income had gone way down. Q claimed in court docs that he now makes $2,500 each month, while his alleged baby mama Steele Barnett was now bringing in more than $8,000. He argued that if he is the father, Steele Barnett should start paying $1,030 a month towards Josiah’s upkeep.

Q’s spokeswoman said the singer and his family had been dealing with his infidelity and his alleged love child for several years, and have gotten through it with the help of their pastor.

“It is unfortunate that the other party is attempting to publicly shame a man who has not only been compliant in working toward mutual resolve, but more importantly, has been dedicated to rebuilding his family through faith and respectfully turning this situation into an opportunity to teach young men the value of family, fatherhood and discipline,” Q’s spokeswoman told BOSSIP in a statement.

She added: “As Q and his wife continue to strengthen their union, family and business, we refuse to let this very private matter inflict anymore pain than it already has on their family and ask that you respect their privacy. Any legal matters associated with this situation will be dealt with through the proper legal channels.”

We reached out to Steele Barnett’s lawyer for comment.