In a dramatic twist to their already bitter separation, Denise Richards' estranged husband, Aaron Phypers, has levelled a bombshell claim that could upend their family life. Court documents reveal Phypers is contesting that their adopted daughter, nine-year-old Eloise, was ever legally adopted by the couple.
The shocking allegation forms a central part of the escalating custody war between the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and her ex, throwing the child's future into uncertainty.
A Family Thrown Into Turmoil
According to the legal filing obtained by DailyMail.com, Phypers is demanding that Richards, 52, provide documentation to ‘confirm the legal adoption’ of their daughter. This move directly challenges the long-held public understanding that Eloise is their legally adopted child.
The couple, who married in 2018 and separated in 2022, began fostering Eloise in 2019, with Richards frequently sharing their journey to adoption on social media and her reality show. The process was finalised in 2022, just months before their split, making this new claim all the more startling.
A Custody Battle Escalates
Phypers’s court filing is part of a broader request for joint legal and physical custody of Eloise, as well as Richards' two younger children from previous relationships. He is also seeking to reduce any potential spousal support payments to his ex-wife.
In a further contentious detail, Phypers alleges that Richards has been ‘interfering with his relationship’ with Eloise, claiming she has blocked his access to the child. He is now asking a judge to grant him specified visitation rights.
Denise's Fight For Her Daughter
For her part, Denise Richards has previously spoken emotionally about her commitment to Eloise, who has special needs. The actress has been the child's primary caregiver since she entered their lives.
This latest development promises to intensify an already fraught and deeply personal legal dispute, with the wellbeing of a young child at its very centre. The court is yet to rule on these explosive new claims.
