Soon after actress Kelly Rutherford and and German businessman Daniel Giersch filed for divorce (and months before their second child was even born), a custody battle began. That was 2009, and it’s still going on.
The case, which frequently makes international headlines, is an unpleasant and oddly complicated web of personal allegations and jurisdiction disputes. And the children at its center, Hermes and Helena, can do nothing but obey the near-constant legal decisions forcing them to travel back and forth across the Atlantic.
On Tuesday, they were ordered to leave New York City, Rutherford’s home, and return to their father in Monaco. But why? Below is a timeline that should help you figure this whole mess out. If the past is any indication, we can expect this to last for years to come—so we’ll update it as news breaks.
EARLY 2006
- Actress Kelly Rutherford becomes pregnant with Hermes. German businessman /entrepreneur Daniel Giersch is the father.
AUGUST, 2006
- Rutherford and Giersch marry.
NOVEMBER, 2006
- Hermes is born. He weighs 8.5 lbs.
- Rutherford says motherhood is “just amazing.”
[People]
LATE 2008
- Rutherford becomes pregnant with Helena. Giersch is the father.
DECEMBER, 2008
- Rutherford files for divorce from Giersch citing irreconcilable differences. She seeks “sole physical custody with monitored visitation.”
- Giersch files for legal separation from Rutherford. He seeks “sole legal and physical custody with visitation for her.”
[People]
JANUARY 20, 2009
- Both Rutherford and Giersch testify in an LA court for “almost two hours.”
- Rutherford says she “is seeking to take Hermes to New York, where [Gossip Girl] is filmed, until the end of March.” “Giersch strongly objects” to the move, and calls her job “detrimental to their son.” Additionally, Giersch “doesn’t feel comfortable” in New York City.
- Giersch claims Rutherford never allowed him to have overnight visits with Hermes. Rutherford claims he’s lying.
[People]
FEBRUARY, 2009
- Rutherford is interviewed by Life & Style:
We have kids together. We have a beautiful son together. I think we’re both decent people. But sometimes you go through tough times.It’s a challenge, you know? I think everyone goes through it on a certain level. When it’s public, it’s really hard. People say things they don’t mean because they’re upset. I’m hoping we can work it out.
MAY, 2009
- Rutherford obtains a temporary restraining order against Giersch, and claims he “has begun to follow me, my mother and my nanny and he shows up unexpectedly to threaten and scare us.”
- It is revealed that Rutherford’s nanny Michaela Kothanova quit her job because Giersch “unnerved her during custody exchanges.” She also claims “Giersch threatened to sue her after she refused to answer his repeated questions about Rutherford.”
- Rutherford’s mother alleges similar hostility from Giersch.
- Giersch denies all the above allegations.
- Rutherford hires a private investigator “to conduct three days of video surveillance” on Giersch.
[People]
JUNE, 2009
- Rutherford gives birth to Helena. Giersch releases a statement claiming he was not notified.
“Media reports claiming that I neglected to attend my daughter’s birth are total lies and fabrication…I was never informed by Kelly about the birth of our daughter, nor was I invited to attend. In fact, I found out about it through Internet reports like everyone else. Although this sickens me, I am of course overjoyed that our baby was born healthy. I would’ve wanted nothing more than to hold our newborn daughter for a few moments, and I only seek to coparent both our children responsibly and with love.”
[People]
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