Rumer Willis’ allegations that ex Derek Richard Thomas put their 3-year-old daughter, Louetta, at risk are drawing renewed attention as the former couple’s custody dispute continues.
A Sept. 19 AOL report, republishing reporting from RadarOnline, revisited an emergency filing Willis made in August in which she accused Thomas of showing “bizarre judgment” during his parenting time and asked the court to keep his visits supervised.
Among the incidents cited in the filing, Willis alleged that Thomas wanted to cross a five-lane highway with a 55-mph speed limit while with Louetta and chose to walk roughly two and a half miles in extreme heat rather than rent a car, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
Thomas has rejected Willis’ allegations. In his own declaration, he said he had never placed Louetta in danger and accused Willis of interfering with his relationship with their daughter.
Willis Said the Supervised Visits Raised Safety Concerns
Willis’ emergency request focused on how Thomas’ supervised parenting time had unfolded after a June custody order established a schedule beginning June 20.
She claimed Thomas completed only five and a half supervised visits after disputes developed over the nannies assigned to monitor them. According to Willis, one nanny originally approved under the arrangement became unavailable because of health problems, leading to disagreements over who could replace her.
The filing also described an incident surrounding a Fourth of July parade. Willis alleged that Thomas left Louetta with the supervising nanny during the event and later refused to allow the nanny into the Airbnb where he was staying with the child.
Willis further alleged that Thomas rented a shared Airbnb with strangers and, on another occasion, made a supervising nanny wait outside in extreme heat-
TMZ reported that Willis supported her emergency request with declarations from three nannies and communications she said documented the disputes.
Thomas Says Willis Has Been Blocking His Parenting Time
Thomas presented a sharply different account in an Aug. 27 declaration. He accused Willis of doing “everything in her power” to interfere with and frustrate his relationship with Louetta and described her allegations involving drug use, unsafe behavior and noncompliance as “materially false and misleading,” according to TMZ.
“At no time have I ever placed our daughter in danger of any kind whatsoever,” Thomas wrote in the declaration, according to Us Weekly’s reporting on the filing.
Thomas argued that the June custody plan contemplated six weeks of monitored parenting time before visits transitioned to unmonitored overnights. He claimed Willis repeatedly prevented that transition and asked the court to keep the existing June orders in place.
He also challenged Willis’ handling of Louetta’s travel and residence, asking the court to enforce provisions restricting either parent from taking the child out of California without the required agreement or court authorization.
A Judge Temporarily Kept the Visits Supervised
On Sept. 2, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge partially granted Willis’ emergency request and ordered Thomas’ visits with Louetta to remain supervised at that stage of the proceedings.
The judge directed Willis and Thomas to agree on a monitor for the visits or use a professional supervisor if they could not agree, according to People.
Thomas’ attorney, Mike Kretzmer, emphasized that the ruling was temporary and made through an expedited process. He continued to dispute her accusations. The order was scheduled to remain in place pending a Sept. 10 hearing concerning the disputed overnight visits.