as . ▁ ▁Child ▁cust ody ▁issue ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Edwards ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁highly ▁public ized ▁child ▁cust ody ▁case ▁in ▁Canada . ▁While ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁V ancouver ▁G ri zz lies ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Edwards , ▁who ▁was ▁married , ▁started ▁an ▁affair ▁with ▁Canadian ▁citiz en ▁Kim ber ly ▁Van ▁de ▁Per re . ▁He ▁had ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁other ▁affairs . ▁During ▁the ▁affair ▁with ▁Kim ber ly , ▁she ▁became ▁pre gn ant ▁and ▁gave ▁birth ▁to ▁a ▁baby ▁boy ▁named ▁E lij ah , ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁When ▁E lij ah ▁was ▁three ▁months ▁old , ▁M s . ▁Van ▁de ▁Per re ▁began ▁proceed ings ▁for ▁cust ody ▁and ▁child ▁support , ▁naming ▁Edwards ▁as ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁the ▁child . ▁Edwards ▁respond ed ▁initially ▁by ▁seeking ▁joint ▁cust ody ▁and ▁liberal ▁access , ▁but ▁later ▁changed ▁his ▁response ▁to ▁seek ▁sole ▁cust ody . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁length y ▁trial ▁that ▁ran ▁from ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁trial ▁judge ▁released ▁his ▁decision ▁and ▁awarded ▁sole ▁cust ody ▁to ▁the ▁mother . ▁Edwards ▁was ▁given ▁considerable ▁access ▁— ▁four ▁one - week ▁periods ▁quarter ly ▁throughout ▁the ▁year , ▁shared ▁time ▁at ▁Christmas ▁and ▁on ▁E lij ah ' s ▁birth day ▁and ▁additional ▁access ▁upon ▁short ▁notice ▁when ▁he