Cher Was 'Desperate to Help Her Son' Elijah Before Allegedly Hiring 4 Men to Kidnap Him, Source Claims: 'She Was Terrified'

Cher was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of her youngest son, 47-year-old Elijah Blue Allman, last November.

The musician was staying at a New York hotel and attempting to reconcile with his estranged wife, Mariangela King, while allegedly also battling substance abuse issues at the time. Despite the controversial nature of the decision, a source claimed that Cher hired the men out of desperation and love for her struggling son.

"Cher thought Elijah’s wife was a bad influence who was steering Elijah down a dangerous path," the source spilled to a news outlet. "She was desperate to help her son, so she did what she had to do."

The source added that the "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer wouldn’t call what happened "kidnapping," exactly. "That’s an exaggeration," they noted. "But she was terrified that her son might die if she didn’t get him out of there."

"Cher loves her son. Though he was a difficult kid and probably hated her at times, she did her best and took care of him financially," the source shared of the 47-year-old, who began dabbling in illicit substances including weed and ecstasy when he was only 11 years old. "Elijah worries Cher sick, but she’d never abandon him."

The news of the alleged kidnapping first came out in a declaration that Mariangela gave to the court in order to postpone a divorce hearing. She claimed that on their wedding anniversary, four men arrived at the hotel room and "removed" Elijah from the establishment.

"I was told by one of the four men who took him that they were hired by (Elijah's) mother," Mariangela's court statement continued. "I am currently unaware of my husband's wellbeing or whereabouts."

"I understand his family's efforts to make sure he is well," she added at the time. "And I want what is best for my husband."

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It's been reported that Elijah is checked into a rehabilitation center in Padadena, Calif., after he was discovered unconscious in front of LA's Chateau Marmont Hotel where he'd been living for some time.

"At first he looked like he was dead, but he had in fact passed out," a witness said. "The staff picked him up and took him inside."