It's official: Larry Birkhead is the biological father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby daughter, Dannielynn. So what's in store for the new daddy and his little girl?
Well, for starters, they'll be getting to know each other in the Bahamas. L.A. resident Larry cannot legally take his daughter home until he is granted full, legal custody of the baby. Until then, Birkhead must remain in the Bahamas (it should only be a matter of days). In a really sweet and surprising turn of events, Howard K. Stern has joined Team Larry, graciously hugging him outside the courtroom where the formal statement was made to the press, and vowing to fight for Larry to get sole custody of Dannielynn. (Anna Nicole's mom, Virgie Arthur, is expected to fight for at least partial custody). Howard told the press he hopes to make Dannielynn's transition "gradual" for her sake, and has invited Larry to his house to spend as much time as he'd like to with the baby.
Still unresolved is the matter of Anna Nicole's will, which specified that her now deceased son, Daniel, was to inherit her fortune should she be named the beneficiary of her late husband's $500 million dollar estate. Howard is named as trustee for Daniel in the event of Anna Nicole's death, but no provisions were made for baby Dannielynn. So the question remains: will Dannielynn inherit her deceased mother's possible fortune, and if so, who should administer it? Will the baby's name be changed to Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern Birkhead? What role will Howard K. Stern play in her life? And what about that wild card, Virgie Arthur?
One down, baby Dannielynn. Many, many more hurdles to go...
[Via TMZ, AP]
