Criss Angel Welcomes Baby Daughter

July 2024 · 3 minute read

Criss Angel's new addition has arrived.

The Las Vegas–based illusionist and musician, 53, and his wife Shaunyl Benson welcomed their third baby, daughter Illusia Angelina Sarantakos, on Friday morning during an emergency cesarean section, he announced on Instagram.

The newborn weighed 4 lbs., 13 oz., and measured 17 inches long at birth.

"IT'S A GIRL!!! 🍾❤️🎉 Ran to the hospital early this morning where my love @shaunylbenson had to have an emergency C-section 35 weeks into her pregnancy," Angel wrote, sharing a video from the hospital. "... She is currently in NICU. Both her and momma are resting and doing well."

In the video, the dad meets his baby girl and says, "Look how beautiful you are. Hi, baby! Yes, she's beautiful."

The couple announced the pregnancy news and the sex of the baby on Father's Day in June, revealing it in a sweet video along with their two sons, Johnny Crisstopher, 7½, and Xristos Yanni, 2½.

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Benson later posted a video of the moment she broke her surprise pregnancy news to the family. In the caption, she wrote, "Baby number 3 was absolutely unexpected, thanks to you tequila! Here's how I told @crissangel and our family! Little girl arriving December 2021."

Angel commented at the time, "So happy for our little girl, you my love and our blessed family but I guess nothing is private. I love you forever."

In an Oct. 22 Instagram post, Benson documented her baby bump in several photos and offered an update on her pregnancy.

"I won't ever sugar coat things but I'm at that stage where pregnancy just really really sucks," she explained. "I feel gross; I'm sore, I feel huge, I'm grumpy, hungry and not to mention I have to pee every second.. can someone remind me why I'm doing this for a third time? Oh yes, because it will be worth it."

Angel's son Johnny was diagnosed with leukemia back in 2015 and had a brief remission before Angel revealed in December 2019 that his child's cancer had come back. He gave an update on his older son's condition in June 2020, discussing in an interview with Extra what his medical situation looked like and how the family was faring amid the pandemic.

"Kids that are going through pediatric cancer obviously have the challenge of dealing with that but when you underscore that with the pandemic, it's really a double threat," he said at the time. "Families that have gone through pediatric cancer have been practicing hand washing, hand sanitizing, sanitizing areas when you go out to eat in a restaurant and social distancing."

"Because usually your child has immune-system deficiencies, and for Johnny Crisstopher and other children going through what he's going through, it can be dire — life-threatening," added Angel.

In May, Benson paid tribute to Johnny on Instagram, saying, "Our little superhero, loving life everyday. He's carefree and full of love. It's been a weird couple of months but Johnny takes it like a superstar. Yesterday we had a long clinic visit for an immunoglobulin infusion which cut our desert stay short. But life is beautiful. Everything we do, we do for our babies."

Then in August, she documented his first day back at school after treatments.

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