LA Court Denies Heerdegen Emergency Custody Request

A Los Angeles court has denied an emergency custody request from James Heerdegen, the ex-husband of actress Christina Ricci, concerning their 11-year-old son, Freddie. The ruling came after Heerdegen filed for the hearing based on text messages he received from his son during a June 16 flight to Canada, in which Freddie reported his mother had been drinking alcohol.

In her response to the filing, Ricci acknowledged that Freddie had contacted his father and used certain words to describe her alcohol consumption and behavior. However, according to court documents, Freddie later told his father’s attorneys that he had overreacted when sending the texts. The child’s own legal counsel filed documents stating the description of Ricci’s behavior was not as initially portrayed and that Freddie had no fear in continuing to be in his mother’s custody.

The court, in its decision issued on June 23, agreed to seal the records containing the text messages. Freddies attorney argued that public access could jeopardize the child’s mental health, a point Ricci supported by citing severe bullying her son has endured at school. The judge also denied Heerdegen’s additional request for court-ordered...