Who is Daniel Bernad? Sia’s estranged husband accuses singer of drug abuse amid custody battle

Daniel Bernad, Sia's estranged husband, filed for sole custody of their child, Somersault Wonder Bernad, whom the couple welcomed in March 2024.

According to court documents filed on Monday, October 7, Bernad claimed that Sia is "an unfit and unreliable parent" of their child, whom they refer to in the court documents as "Summi."

He also claimed that the singer is "struggling with substance abuse and addiction."

Daniel Bernad is the CEO and co-founder of Modern Medicine Services, a Los Angeles-based integrative medicine practice, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Although his profile provides limited information, it notes that he previously attended the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and McGill University.

However, in the recent court documents, Bernad claimed that he is currently unemployed and doesn't have an income, stating that Sia "ceased all funding of our joint venture, Modem Medicine, including my salary.

I am totally financially dependent on Sia."

Sia countered his claims in a responsive declaration filed on Tuesday, October 28, stating that she has already paid him $300,000 since they split in March 2025.

"To date, every request by Dan for additional custodial time has been directly tied to financial gain rather than a genuine effort to foster a meaningful parental relationship with Summi," the singer wrote.

Bernad also alleged that "Sia’s conduct is reckless, dangerous, and demonstrates Sia's utter disregard for Summi's safety and well-being," and requested $77,245 per month in child support.

The Chandelier singer went public with their relationship in 2021, when the couple posed together at the L.A. premiere of West Side Story in December 2021.

The couple tied the knot two years later in a private ceremony in Portofino, Italy, at Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's Villa Olivetta.

According to People Magazine, the couple was joined by only four guests for their intimate celebration.

Subsequently, they welcomed their son, Somersault Wonder Bernad, on March 27, 2024. A year later, in March 2025, Sia filed for divorce from Bernad, citing "irreconcilable differences."

At the time, the 49-year-old singer sought legal and physical custody of Somersault, declined spousal support, and was open to granting Bernad visitation rights, per the outlet.

Sia’s Custody Battle Turns Ugly — Who’s Really Telling the Truth?

Pop icon Sia and her estranged husband, Daniel Bernad, are locked in a bitter custody war over their 1-year-old son, Somersault Wonder — and the accusations flying in court are shocking. Daniel, a former… pic.twitter.com/n1THjNByaS

— J.O. Comms (@jo_comms) October 29, 2025

"I have been fully sober for over six months": Sia declines Daniel Bernad's claims in a responsive declaration

Meanwhile, in the aforementioned responsive declaration filed by Sia on Tuesday, October 28, the singer denied Daniel Bernad's allegations, claiming she has been "fully sober for over six months and working my program, which includes weekly testing and a sober companion."

The Cheap Thrills singer also asked the court to deny her estranged husband's request for Summi's sole custody.

"My recovery has been a cornerstone of my life and one of the primary reasons I chose to separate from Dan, whose ongoing engagement in a nightlife and recreational drug-use lifestyle is incompatible with a healthy environment for our child," she added.

Sia continued:

"Dan’s attempt to weaponize my past sobriety journey — an issue long resolved and well-documented — serves no legitimate purpose and is intended only to distort the facts and undermine my credibility before this Court. His willingness to dredge up decades-old history to serve his own financial and strategic interests demonstrates the extent to which he will go, even at the expense of his child and the child’s mother."

Bernad also claimed that Sia did not take a "primary caregiving role" with Somersault and "delegated nearly all child-rearing responsibilities to a revolving team of nannies while she maintained control from a distance."

"This dynamic in Sia's house and the control she exerted put Summi at the center of a one-sided and highly managed environment. To my knowledge, this has not changed since I moved out of the house. In fact, Sia's nannies have handled every single custodial exchange since the start of the divorce."

In response, Sia claimed that their son "has always been in my primary care and custody," adding that Daniel has never "had custody of Summi for more than two hours at a time and [was] always monitored," as he was under criminal investigation by both LAPD and the Department of Child and Family Services for possession of child p***ography.

However, the "investigations of LAPD and DCFS have been inconclusive and now closed," wrote Sia.

"To date, every request by Dan for additional custodial time has been directly tied to financial gain rather than a genuine effort to foster a meaningful parental relationship with Summi," Sia continued.

Stay tuned for more updates.