Thomas Ravenel Accuses Ex Kathryn Dennis of Drinking and Using Drugs While Pregnant with Son
Thomas Ravenel is accusing ex Kathryn Dennis of drinking and using drugs while pregnant with their son.
In new court documents filed in the County of Charleston, South Carolina, and obtained by The Blast, Ravenel, 56, claims that both of his children — daughter Kensington Calhoun, 4, and son St. Julien Rembert, 3 — whom he shares with Dennis, have “developmental and behavioral problems” as a result of their mother.
“The parties’ oldest child, K.C.R., has developmental and behavioral problems that have required intensive therapy. Father is informed and believes these problems are the result of [Dennis’] lack of bonding with K.C.R. during infancy. … The parties’ youngest child, S.J.R., has developmental and behavioral problems that have required intensive therapy. Father is informed and believes that these problems are the result of Mother’s drug and alcohol consumption while S.J.R. was in utero,” the documents state.
A post shared by Kathryn Calhoun Dennis (@kathryndennis) on Dec 4, 2018 at 2:24pm PST
“For ethical reasons, I’m not going to comment on her case in the media,” Dennis’ attorney told PEOPLE. “However, I am preparing an appropriate reply that will be filed with the Court denying defamatory allegations made by Mr. Ravenel.”
Ravenel’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Dennis, 26, previously lost custody of the kids and entered rehab in 2016 after she tested positive for marijuana and failed a drug test.
In 2016, Ravenel was awarded full custody, but Dennis has since earned back 50/50 custody. Explaining what it felt like to no longer be with her children all the time, Dennis told PEOPLE in May 2018, “when you don’t have your children with you and they’re at such fragile, young ages, it just feels like part of you is not there.”
“Your heart is walking around outside of you and you can’t see them or talk to them. It’s out of your control but these are two humans who you gave life to. It’s just so unnatural and I can’t describe it in any other way. It’s probably one of the hardest things you can go through in life in general. It’s hard spiritually, mentally, and physically; you can just become drained by the guilt and shame,” she continued.
In October, she filed documents in Charleston seeking to obtain primary custody of the two children, and on Nov. 6, Ravenel filed a counterclaim, vehemently denying all of Dennis’ allegations.
“Father is informed and believes that Mother’s suit for a change in custody was not brought out of concern for the best interests of the minor children,” the documents state.
Ravenel claims that she “filed this action for the sole and/or primary purpose of securing her role on the reality TV show Southern Charm and progressing her storyline as the ‘rehabilitated Mother who regains possession of her minor children,’ ” the documents state. He alleges that Dennis “initiated this suit with the encouragement, condonation, and/or express or implied permission of the producers of Southern Charm for the purpose of providing dramatic material for the next season of Southern Charm.”
Since Ravenel was awarded custody of their two children, he claims in the documents that they “have received regular, individualized therapy tailored to their developmental needs” and they “have developmentally and behaviorally progressed under his care.”
When you’re a single mom and have to use a selfie stick to take family photos ????????
A post shared by Kathryn Calhoun Dennis (@kathryndennis) on Oct 13, 2018 at 5:40pm PDT
As [Dennis’] time with the children has increased under their visitation plan, Ravenel alleges that he “has observed marked regression in the minor children’s therapeutic progress,” the documents state.
“The minor children have developmentally regressed since [Dennis] has assumed 50/50 time with the children, as evidence by … [Dennis’] failure to help potty train the parties’ youngest child and continuing to feed the youngest by bottle instead of a cup,” he further claims in the documents.
Although Dennis continues to take drug tests mandated by Ravenel, he is alleging that “[Dennis] abuses prescription drugs, is engaged in the use of illegal drugs, and consumes alcohol in combination thereof regularly,” the court documents state.
RELATED: Thomas Ravenel Accuses Kathryn Dennis of Seeking Primary Custody for a Southern Charm Storyline
According to the documents, Ravenel alleges that Dennis has purchased “synthetic urine” to pass drug tests.
“[Ravenel] is informed and believes that [Dennis] did not successfully complete her rehabilitation program, as [Dennis] tested positive for drugs after her release,” the documents read. “[Ravenel] cannot be certain that [Dennis] has maintained and sustained sobriety since the entry of the 2017 Final Order simply because [Dennis] has passed the requested drug tests since that time, as [Dennis] has a history of purchasing synthetic urine for purposes of passing drug tests.”
He further claims that producers on Southern Charm have sold drugs to Dennis.
“[Dennis] buys, sells, and trades prescription medications to and from friends, cast members, and show producers to support her prescription drug habit,” the documents read.
Bravo did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The father of two also believes that Dennis “has been intoxicated by the abuse of prescription drugs and/or use of illegal drugs while in sole care and control of the parties’ minor children … and suffers from severe mental health disorders and drug addictions that impede her ability to properly care and provide” for their children.
He claims that Dennis “becomes overwhelmed after having sole care of the minor children for more than a few days, causing [Dennis] to further engage in illegal drug use and/or prescription drug abuse as a coping mechanism for anxiety and stress” and alleges that “[Dennis] has been diagnosed with multiple mental health conditions, including but not limited to Bi-Polar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, kleptomania, self-mutilation, and Cluster B Personality Traits, including histrionic and borderline personality disorders.”
The court documents also allege that this past fall, Dennis committed a hit-and-run “on or about October 29, 2018.”
“[Ravenel] is informed and believes that [Dennis’] failure to immediately inform the injured party as to the damage she inflicted on the party’s vehicle reflects a gross lack of character and integrity, causing Father concern as to Mother’s ability to be a moral example and role model for the minor children,” the documents state.
Among his requests, Ravenel is asking that the court award him sole custody of the children; that Dennis “pay an appropriate amount of child support” to him; it be prohibited that the children be “filmed or featured on Southern Charm or any other television show”; Dennis be prohibited “from using the minor children to secure or facilitate endorsements and income through any kind of public exposure,” including social media and TV; and that she not consume alcohol, abuse prescription drugs, and use illegal drugs “while caring for the children.”
Additionally, he is asking that Haymaker Media Inc. and/or Bravo Media Productions, LLC be prevented from “disseminating and/or airing any Season 6 and/or otherwise unaired video footage which features the minor children in this matter and/or which directly or indirectly concerns the minor children, this litigation, and/or the ongoing custody dispute between [Dennis] and the Third Party Plaintiff,” the documents state.