Credit: Faye’s Vision/Cover Images
Aaron Phypers never officially adopted Denise Richards‘ 14-year-old, Eloise.
Although the 54-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star previously claimed Aaron, 52, adopted the child in 2019, one year after they wed, Aaron alleged in court documents filed on Wednesday that Denise never submitted his paperwork, accused her of family harm, and revealed he and his family have been caring for Denise’s 34 dogs without pay for years.
“[Eloise is my] daughter by bond of over nine years,” but Denise “failed to file [the paperwork],” Aaron explained, per an August 21 report from PEOPLE, adding that he was left “legally without his daughter despite raising her as his own.”
“This has caused immeasurable harm and demonstrates the imbalance [Denise] maintains in this matter,” he declared.
As RHOBH fans may recall, Denise adopted Eloise in 2016, and she also shares daughters Sami, 21, and Lola, 20, with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, 59.
Aaron’s filing was in response to Denise’s request that a judge order him and his family to vacate their former home so she’s able to retrieve her belongings and her pets.
After Denise explained that she had been notified by her landlord that Aaron hadn’t been paying rent on July 24, and warned that eviction proceedings would begin on August 23, Aaron accused his estranged wife of withholding “office/trade equipment for more than 50 days” and said she had “sole control over marital funds.”
Aaron also said that if Denise was able to retrieve her things from the home where he was living, he should be able to do the same thing at her home.
Continuing on about his living conditions, Aaron said he and his family have gone more than 90 days “without gas or hot water while living with the animals” and that his mom, Patricia, bought dog food out of her “small pension” and “provided countless unpaid childcare hours for Eloise, often covering 17–20 consecutive days.”
Further, Aaron said Denise should help him pay $75,000 in attorney fees, as well as $140,500 “to address arrears” in rent, HOA fees, and utilities. He added that he and his family have been taking care of Denise’s 34 dogs for more than three years “without pay” for a total of $638,750 in unpaid labor.
Amid their ongoing battle, Denise took to her Instagram page to address fans.
“Hi everybody. I was just checking in to see how your summer’s been going. Mine’s been wonderful. It’s actually been sh*tty, but I’m going to pretend like it’s all good. I’ve actually been posting on Instagram like nothing is going on in my life, and I can’t do that anymore because there’s something obviously going on,” she began.
According to Denise, her online fans have been “kind and so supportive.” And while she can’t say much about the strain and ongoing allegations between her and Aaron, she informed them that she sees “all of [their] messages.”
“I can’t comment because it’ll be taken out and put in the press, but I just wanted to, in all seriousness, say that this has been a very, very, very difficult time,” she admitted. “It’s so hard to go through a divorce. Many of you have gone through that. This isn’t my first one. It is my second one, and I never thought I’d get divorced again. This is why I always say never say never.”
“But I really just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your supportive, kind, thoughtful, encouraging messages because this has been a very difficult time, and there’s circumstances around my divorce that are difficult to talk about, which one day I will talk about it when the timing is right. I just want to process everything and get through this,” she continued. “It has not been easy, so your messages mean a lot.”
Denise also addressed the reconstructive surgery she had earlier this year and an additional surgery she had afterward.
“I was open and honest about having reconstructive surgery for a TV show that I did, and then I had another surgery and I do want to post about that, but I didn’t want to post about it during all of this and look inappropriate and have it seem insensitive to what I’m dealing with, but I also want to live my life and share that part of my life, so that’s what I’m going to do and continue doing,” she shared. “But I just wanted to say thank you so much. It makes me want to cry seeing your messages because this is a very difficult time, and you guys are all helping me through it.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 15 is currently in production and expected to premiere later this year or early next year on Bravo.