Actor Charlie Sheen (of Two and a Half Men and “Winning!” fame) is back in the news again — this time, over a new twist in his ongoing child custody battle over his two kids, Max and Bob.
The Department of Children and Family Services got a report that member of a Denise Richards’ staff had “hit” the two kids while they were in her care. But were the twin boys really abused?
The case is complicated. Brooke Mueller — not Richards — is the biological mom of the twins. Richards and Sheen divorced back in 2006. Sheen later married Mueller and had the twins with her. Two years later, Sheen and Mueller split up. Unfortunately, Mueller has allegedly been struggling with drug issues — she recently needed hospitalization — prompting Richards to offer to take care of her 4-year-old twin boys.
Upset by the recent charges — which she calls “ridiculous” and “vindictive” — Richards has decided to step down from the role as part-time caregiver. Richards claims the 4-year-olds had been acting violently, and she feared that they might pose a risk to her own children. Both Sheen and Richards have expressed fears that Max and Bob may be suffering the results of fetal alcohol syndrome. In fact, Richards penned an emotional letter to Child Services complaining about the boys’ tendency to issue “zombie-like” punches and kicks.
This is a certainly not a Hollywood happy ending. But the case demonstrates how challenging custody cases can be, even when they involve people with a lot of money and resources.
For help dealing with your case, please connect with the California family law team here at Dinnebier and Demmerle for a thorough and strategic case consultation.