Fact check: Did Elon Musk really have a child with Ashley St. Clair?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available sources, Ashley St. Clair and Elon Musk do have a child together named Romulus, born in September 2024 ^[1]. The situation has evolved from initial claims to legal proceedings, with St. Clair filing for sole custody of their son ^[2]. While initial reports showed uncertainty with St. Clair making claims without direct confirmation from Musk ^[3], more recent sources have confirmed the existence of the child.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original question:

• The child is specifically a 9-month-old boy named Romulus ^[1]
• Musk has allegedly only seen the child three times, with the last visit being just 30 minutes long on November 30, 2024 ^[2]
• There are ongoing private negotiations between the parties regarding the child's upbringing ^[4]
• St. Clair was initially asked to keep the pregnancy secret until tabloid media threatened to expose the story ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several pieces of misinformation have circulated around this story:

• A viral fake screenshot claimed the child was conceived using IVF and CRISPR technology, which has been definitively debunked by Lead Stories ^[5]
• USA TODAY fact-checkers confirmed these screenshots were fabricated, with St. Clair's spokesperson describing them as "counterfeit" ^[6]

The situation involves various stakeholders with different interests:

• Media outlets benefit from the sensational nature of the story
• St. Clair's legal team, led by Brian Glicklich, is pushing for public acknowledgment and legal recognition ^[4]
• Fact-checking organizations have become involved in debunking false claims surrounding the story
• Social media platforms have been used to spread both legitimate information and misinformation about the situation