Getting messier. Jaime King’s estranged husband, Kyle Newman, accused her of substance abuse and infidelity in an ex parte request filed on Friday, May 22.
In court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the director, 44, claimed the actress, 41, has been “a chronic drug addict and alcoholic” for “the past decade.” He also alleged she has driven under the influence with their children — sons James, 6, and Leo, 4 — in the car and been intoxicated in front of them.
Newman said he “attempted for years to help Jaime get sober” and staged an intervention for her in January, giving her an ultimatum to seek treatment. According to the filmmaker, she checked into a facility but left after one day.
The author then allegedly arranged for the children to visit King in Canada in February while she was working, but she asked them to leave after three days. “Jaime later admitted to Kyle that while in Canada she was having an affair and continuing to drink and abuse drugs,” the papers read.
Newman further claimed that the Hart of Dixie alum took pills and consumed alcohol during her pregnancies and that he “has been the children’s primary parent since their birth.”
“I have spent the last decade and more trying to get Jaime help, covering for her when she was drunk, high, driving under the influence, missing for days at a time, late for work, fighting with friends, family, co-workers, employees, excusing her innumerable infidelities as being only the result of the drugs, and taking care of her when she was out of her mind, delusional, or catatonic as a result of her substance abuse and eating disorders,” he alleged. “I have done everything I can think of to try and get her well so she can be the mother to our children that I know she can be, including interventions, working with her doctors to wean her off opiates, and trying to convince her to get into rehab many, many times. … Since the birth of our children, I have struggled more and more with trying to balance helping Jaime and protecting the kids.”
Elsewhere in the documents, Newman denied King’s domestic violence allegations against him.
As part of his filing, the producer requested sole physical custody of the children, but his motion was denied by a judge. The kids will remain in Pennsylvania — where they are quarantining — with their father until a non-emergency hearing can take place.
In response to the accusations, King’s rep told Us on Friday: “This is another vicious, failed attempt of Kyle to continue his abuse of Jaime and manipulate the court system. Today Kyle was denied all requests for emergency orders and the judge granted Jaime shared legal custody of their two children. The temporary domestic violence restraining order remains in place to protect Jaime.”
The model filed for divorce on Monday, May 18, after nearly 13 years of marriage. She was granted a temporary restraining order against Newman, who “cannot be within 100 yards” of her.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
