Christina Ricci’s Ex-Husband James Heerdegen Accuses Actress Of ‘Psychological Abuse’ Against Their Son After She Demands His Custody Be Taken Away
Jan. 7 2023, Published 12:29 p.m. ET
Christina Ricci’s ex-husband James Heerdegen has rushed to court accusing the actress of psychological abuse against their son after she demanded his overnight visits be suspended, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, on Friday, Ricci asked the court to modify the custody agreement based on recommendations from their child’s therapist.
Ricci said she wants her ex to enroll in a parenting class. The actress said she is extremely concerned about Heerdegen having overnights with their son until he takes the classes.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, last month, Ricci and Heerdegen settled their nasty divorce. Per the deal, neither will pay child or spousal support. Ricci agreed to pay for private school and any uncovered medical expenses.
They agreed to share joint legal custody but Ricci was awarded the majority of custody.
The settlement came after months of the two fighting in court. Ricci originally filed for divorce in 2020 and accused Heerdegen of being a terror to live with and even allegedly abused her.
In Heerdegen’s new filing, which he drafted without a lawyer, Heerdegen said he spent his entire retirement savings securing joint legal and physical custody of his son in the divorce.
He said on December 31, Ricci’s attorney contacted him and asked him to sign a document that forfeited his custody under threat of further legal escalation. He refused.
Heerdegen said every time he finds himself without a “lawyer for financial reasons, his ex’s lawyer quickly files a restraining order or issue a threat in order to coerce me into signing documents against my will. This is done under the assumption that without an advocate, I will forfeit my interests. Their apparent maxim in this patterned behavior is to deplete my financial resources through retention of lawyers, and to humiliate me in the press with whom they collaborate.”
He said their ultimate goal is to strip him of custody which he said is Ricci’s goal.
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He accuses her of hiring a private ‘social worker’ to meet with their son for the “apparent purpose of gathering evidence of inappropriate behavior to be used against his father.”
Further, he accused Ricci of psychological abuse against their son. He said that she frequently converses with him about her past relationship with Heerdegen. “She shares details of our marriage that are often fabricated, and certainly inappropriate for a young child” to hear.
He said his son told him that Ricci told him “your dad is embarrassed of you’, an abusive, inappropriate, and untrue statement.
Heerdegen said he filed a complaint against the ‘social worker’. He has demanded the court appoint a neutral social media to protect their son from “further psychological abuse.”
