TL;DR: On Days of Our Lives, Johnny DiMera and Chanel Dupree are fighting Leo Stark and Javi Hernandez for custody of baby Tesoro, while biological father Tate Black has no idea his son is alive after mother Sophia Choi lied about the baby dying.
Hold onto your seats, soap fans, because Salem’s most explosive custody battle is about to get NUCLEAR! The fight for baby Tesoro has two couples ready to go to war, and wait until you hear who’s involved. Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) and Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) are pulling out all the stops to adopt this precious infant, but Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) and Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) aren’t backing down without a fight!
Here’s where it gets INSANE…
The baby’s teenage father Tate Black (Leo Howard) is walking around Salem grieving a daughter who never existed while his very real son is about to be adopted by strangers!
Who’s Fighting for Baby Tesoro?
Johnny DiMera and Chanel Dupree are currently fostering Tesoro and they’re ready to make it permanent. After Johnny‘s recent acquittal for attempting to murder his father EJ DiMera (thanks to Aunt Kristen DiMera confessing!), he’s finally ready to embrace fatherhood. Chanel has been dreaming of motherhood for YEARS after losing an unborn child, and she’s even enlisted her powerhouse mother Paulina Price (Jackée Harry) to help seal the deal. The DiMera fortune and their married status? Major advantages in family court.
But here’s the thing — Leo and Javi were Tesoro‘s first guardians after finding him at the fire station! Their bond with this baby is DEEP and real. Leo‘s been in therapy with Dr. Marlena Evans, working as a legitimate investigative journalist, and trying to prove he’s changed from his criminal past. For Javi, this is even more personal — the man lost his own baby daughter and sees Tesoro as his chance to heal that devastating wound.
What’s the Secret About Tesoro’s Real Parents?
Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) pulled off the cruelest deception in Salem history! After giving birth at the Salem High graduation (yes, DURING the ceremony!), she secretly left baby Tesoro at a fire station safe haven box. Then — get this — she told Tate Black their baby was a GIRL who was immediately adopted out of state!
Tate is out here mourning a daughter who doesn’t exist while his son is RIGHT THERE IN SALEM! His grandfather Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) smells something fishy and has launched his own investigation. The clock is TICKING because once Brady and Tate discover the truth? This whole adoption battle could explode!
Evil lawyer Melinda Trask (Tina Huang) helped Sophia craft this elaborate lie, but the guilt is eating Sophia alive. The legal window for her to reclaim Tesoro from the state is closing fast!
Could Aaron Greene Be the Real Father?
Classic soap twist alert! There’s major speculation that Aaron Greene (Louis Tomeo) might actually be Tesoro‘s biological father! Sophia and Aaron got very close right after her falling out with Tate. If this bombshell drops, it changes EVERYTHING — Tate would be off the hook, Brady‘s investigation becomes pointless, and a brand new player enters the custody battle!
What’s Next for the Tesoro Adoption Battle?
Could this mean Johnny and Chanel finally get their dream family? Given Chanel‘s history of loss and Johnny‘s fear of becoming like his father EJ, winning custody would be the ultimate redemption arc for this legacy couple. Their DiMera resources and married status make them the traditional choice.
Don’t be surprised if Leo and Javi‘s emotional plea wins over the court though! Leo‘s redemption journey has been YEARS in the making — from blackmailing Sonny Kiriakis to becoming a functioning member of Salem society. And Javi‘s tragic loss of his daughter? That’s the kind of backstory that could sway any judge. Plus, they were Tesoro‘s first guardians!
Given Tate‘s powerful Black and Brady family connections, this likely leads to him reclaiming his son once the truth explodes. Teenage fatherhood wasn’t in his plans, but with Brady Black and the whole clan behind him? Tate might sacrifice his future to raise Tesoro.
Will Everyone Lose in This Custody Battle?
Here’s the darkest possibility floating around Salem — what if baby Tesoro is terminally ill? This would transform the entire battle into a shared tragedy, forcing Johnny, Chanel, Leo, Javi, and eventually Tate to unite in grief. Talk about testing everyone’s capacity for compassion!
The ripple effects are going to be MASSIVE. This connects the Brady, Black, DiMera, and Hernandez families in ways we haven’t seen before. With power players like Brady Black, Paulina Price, and EJ DiMera getting involved? The stakes are town-wide!
One thing’s for certain — whether Tesoro ends up with the legacy DiMera couple seeking stability, the unconventional pair looking for redemption and healing, or his biological father who doesn’t even know he exists yet, this storyline is going to leave Salem forever changed!
Who do YOU think deserves to raise baby Tesoro? The married DiMera power couple? The emotionally invested Leo and Javi? Or should Tate get his son back when he learns the truth?
This custody battle is just heating up!
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