'RHOA' Star Shereé Whitfield's BF Accused of 'Child Abuse' by Ex-Wife

Real Housewives of Atlanta star Shereé Whitfield's boyfriend, Martell Holt, was accused of child abuse by his ex-wife, Melody, claims he denied before a protection order was dismissed. "It was a lie!" he told RadarOnline.com.

RadarOnline.com learned of a court war between the former spouses that transpired over the past year just as he made his debut on RHOA alongside Whitfield during the May 6 premiere.

Court documents previously filed in Alabama showed that Melody asked for a protection order against Holt for their four children in January 2022.

The Sun reported on a separate filing submitted not long after that is part of Melody and Holt's divorce case — at which time he requested sole physical custody and notified the court that Melody had "violated" clauses made in a March 2021 final order.

Holt said his ex was preventing him from communicating with their children, citing an occasion in November 2021 when she allegedly "served him with a trespass notice" because he stopped by to say goodnight to their kids. Melody fired back and said that he showed up unannounced and without permission.

Meanwhile, he also cast doubt on her child abuse claims.

"The plaintiff has falsely accused the defendant of child abuse in a separate protection from abuse action," Holt's filing read, making note of the show they were both on, Love & Marriage: Huntsville. "Plaintiff's accusation comes as she learned this modification action was coming through the reality show both parties are contracted with and sought to pre-empt this filing."

Her protection order was ultimately dismissed in March 2022, one year after their divorce was finalized. Melody stood by her claims, however, alleging that "[Martell's] discipline and punishment of the children is excessive and abusive."

"The Defendant has used objects to hit his children hard enough to draw blood, he has spanked them excessively, and he has used slurs and other insults towards his children as discipline techniques," Melody claimed.

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"When this Court restricted the parties' ability to use corporal punishment on the children pendente lite and ordered the Defendant to participate in the children's therapy and counseling, he lashed out at this Court in such a way that he was admonished with possible contempt for any future outbursts."

A judge in Alabama has since signed off on an order in March, which required the two to continue their joint custodial agreement and complete a conflict resolution class as "each parent can only recall testimony in their favor but are evasive in other respects."