Christina Ricci’s ex-husband James Heerdegen alleges actress is 'psychologically abusing' son Freddie, 8
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Christina Ricci's ex-husband James Heerdegen has reportedly accused the actress of psychological abuse against their son after she demanded that his overnight visits be suspended. Ricci and Heerdegen share an 8-year-old son, Freddie.
Court documents obtained by Radar Online on Friday, December 6, suggested that Ricci had asked the court to modify their custody agreement based on recommendations from their child's therapist. The 'Monstrous' star said she wanted her ex to enroll in a parenting class because she was extremely concerned about Heerdegen having sleepovers with their son until he takes the recommended classes.
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Ricci and Heerdegen settled their messy divorce last month. Neither was ordered to pay child or spousal support as part of the deal. Ricci reportedly agreed to pay for private school and any uncovered medical expenses, but while both exes agreed to share joint legal custody, the actress was awarded the majority of the custody. The settlement took place after nearly two months of a court battle. Ricci had originally filed for divorce in 2020 when she accused Heerdegen of abusing her and being a terror to live with.
In his new filing, reportedly drafted without a lawyer, Heerdegen claimed he spent his entire retirement savings trying to secure joint legal and physical custody of his son in the divorce. The producer alleged that Ricci's attorney had contacted him on December 31 and asked him to sign a document that would forfeit his custody under threat of further legal escalation. However, he refused to concede. Heerdegen alleged that every time he found 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.” The embattled father said his ex-wife's ultimate goal was to strip him of their son's custody completely.
Heerdegen accused Ricci 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.” He also accused his ex of psychological abuse against their son, claiming that she frequently spoke to him about her past relationship with Heerdegen and "shared details of our marriage that are often fabricated, and certainly inappropriate for a young child” to hear. He said his son told him that his mom told him "your dad is embarrassed of you," which he described as an "abusive, inappropriate, and untrue statement." The producer said he even filed a complaint against the "social worker" and has since requested the court to appoint a neutral social worker to protect their son from “further psychological abuse," per Radar Online.