New Details About Kathryn Dennis, Thomas Ravenel's Ex-Girlfriend, And His Accusation That She Used Drugs While Pregnant
The accusations come amid a bitter custody battle.
Southern Charm's Thomas Ravenel has accused ex-girlfriend Kathryn Dennis of doing drugs while she was pregnant with their 3-year-old son.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Ravenel, 56, claims their daughter Kensington Calhoun, 4, and son St. Julien Rembert, 3 have “developmental and behavioral problems” as a result of Dennis' substance abuse. He is fighting for full custody of the children.
“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.
The documents go on to say that Ravenel believes Dennis, 27, “abuses prescription drugs, is engaged in the use of illegal drugs, and consumes alcohol in combination thereof regularly," adding that she “has been intoxicated by the abuse of prescription drugs and/or use of illegal drugs while in sole care” of their young children.
Ravenel claims that Dennis becomes "overwhelmed" after caring for the children for a few days and turns to prescriptions for release, which he claims she buys, sells, and trades with friends and coworkers.
On top of accusing Dennis using illegal substances, Ravenel claims she "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," making her unfit to care for the children on her own.
The documents also state that Dennis committed a hit and run at the end of October.
“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 told PEOPLE in a statement that they “cannot comment as to the substantive matters of this litigation. However, in regards to the remarks that my client’s allegations are ‘defamatory,’ such allegations do not constitute defamation if they are, in fact, true. Such truth will reveal itself, properly, and in due time, before a court of law.”
Dennis previously lost custody of the pair's kids when she entered rehab for testing positive for marijuana and a failed drug test in 2016. Since then, she has regained 50/50 custody and filed documents for primary custody back in October, claiming Ravenel was the one with the substance abuse problem.
On Nov. 6, Ravenel filed a counterclaim, alleging that his ex only pushed for sole custody to secure "her role on the reality TV show Southern Charm and progressing her storyline as the ‘rehabilitated Mother who regains possession of her minor children'" to add drama to the show.
Ravenel requested that Dennis be required to "pay an appropriate amount of child support" and that his children are not to be “filmed or featured on Southern Charm or any other television show" and that Dennis be prohibited “from using the minor children to secure or facilitate endorsements and income through any kind of public exposure."
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In response to Ravenel's accusations and court filings, Dennis brought up his recent sexual assault accusations that led to his arrest in September.
Ravenel is set to stand trial for the alleged sexual assault of a nanny who watched the couple's children for years and appeared on Southern Charm, a charge that Ravenel has vehemently denied.
Ravenel, who was previously accused of sexually assaulting a woman he met on Tinder, went as far as to say his ex “condoned and/or encouraged Ms. Ledwell to make false allegations of sexual assault and to file a criminal complaint against him, on the heels of the ‘Me Too’ movement, for purposes of helping Mother gain custody of the parties’ minor children in a subsequent modification action.”
As a result of the accusations, Ravenel was dropped from the reality TV show. He has requested that a judge prohibit Bravo from including unaired sensitive footage of his children in the upcoming season of Southern Charm.
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.