'American Housewife' Star Katy Mixon Sues Nanny For Alleged Extortion — What We Know
Hammer was hired in May 2018.
getty Being a celebrity means you are somewhat vulnerable to extortion, blackmail, and bribery. And though sometimes it occurs with strangers, other times, it’s at the hands of someone well-known to the inner circle.
Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, Cindy Crawford, and David Letterman have all been victims of extortion — and they won’t be the last, either. And recently, another celebrity was a victim of these same acts. Katy Mixon, an actress who stars in the show American Housewife, is suing her former nanny, Laree Hammer.
But who is Laree Hammer? Mixon and her husband, Breaux Greer, hired Hammer in May 2018 to help take care of their daughter, Elektra.
Now, Mixon and Greer are suing Hammer for negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, and fraudulent misrepresentation. Mixon also alleges that Hammer tried to extort money from her family.
Hammer claimed she was owed compensation after being fired nearly a year ago. And according to Mixon and Greer in court documents, Hammer presented the couple with a contract to identify herself as an “independent contractor.
The document says, “Hammer included this section because she did not want taxes to be withheld from her compensation. [Mixon and Greer] believed that Hammer was being truthful in describing herself as an ‘independent contractor.’ [They] also believed that Hammer was an independent contractor under the law.”
Though Hammer signed the contract, she’s now saying she was an employee, “entitled to additional compensation because she did not receive overtime or breaks.” However, the couple say that Hammer made up “a series of harassment claims” in an attempt to embarrass them, and “coerce a monetary settlement.”
Mixon and Greer stand by their story that Hammer broke their agreement, requested to leave early quite frequently, wore inappropriate clothing, and didn’t follow the feeding schedule for Elektra. The couple also say they have video footage of Hammer neglecting 14-month-old Elektra. Greer also claims the nanny failed to "flush her vomit in the toilets of the house nearly five different times."
According to the legal documents filed, “While Greer and Mixon had many problems with Hammer’s performance, they could not terminate her immediately because they needed her help and could not find a replacement on short notice. However, the issues with Hammer culminated in the last week of August when Mixon and Greer watched video footage on their baby monitor of Hammer neglecting Elektra in a mechanical sleep bassinet when Elektra was fully awake for a prolonged period of time.”
Allegedly, they offered to pay Hammer for two weeks after firing her, with Hammer accepting the terms. However, “Hammer’s response to her ‘with cause’ termination implies that Hammer understood and accepted the grounds on which her services were being terminated.”
Hopefully, the court can come to a conclusion so both parties can go on with their lives.
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.