We heard last week that Brooke Mueller’s four year-old twins, sons Max and Bob, had been taken away by social workers following Brooke’s involuntary hospitalization for drug use. Max and Bob were placed under the temporary care of Denise Richards, the first ex-wife of their dad, Charlie Sheen. Denise has cared for the boys in the past but apparently they were with their mom when she got deep into drugs this time. Brooke was reportedly a crystal meth addict, although her rep only admitted that she was addicted to “prescription drugs” when she checked into rehab this time.
Yesterday Denise and Charlie attended an emergency custody hearing to review the boys’ placement. The judge agreed that they should stay with Denise, who is already a single mom to three daughters under 10. Their dad Charlie has agreed that the best place for the boys is with Denise, and the judge upheld that. He also read a “shocking report about conditions in Brooke Mueller’s home.” No news outlets have details of that report, but we can imagine how bad it was if Brooke was high on crystal meth all the time. There may be a reason that we aren’t getting specifics. Radar reports that the judge issued a gag order so that none of the parties leaks information to the press.
A judge overseeing the custody battle for Charlie Sheen and ex-wife Brooke Mueller‘s twins issued a gag order Tuesday preventing them from discussing the case, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Lawyers for all sides were in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday for an emergency hearing — Charlie and Denise Richards, the boys’ temporary guardian, showed up too — in the wake of Brooke, 35, being placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold and later checking into rehab to deal with her drug addiction.
The court reportedly maintained status quo, ordering that Bob and Max, 4, remain with Denise and her two daughters with the Anger Management star — Sam, 9, and Lola, 7 — as well as a third daughter she adopted on her own in 2011, Eloise, who is almost two years old.
But a source said: “The judge ordered no comment to anyone from everyone involved in the case.”
Late last week, Sheen went public with a statement declaring his support of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services who removed Bob and Max from their mother’s home late on Thursday.
“Charlie supports the actions of the Department of Children and Family Services,” the star’s publicist said.
“He knows Max and Bob are safe and in a stable, loving environment with Denise and the boys’s sisters. Charlie will fully cooperate and fully participate in all proceedings.”
Radar has had direct statements from Charlie in the past, so they’re probably getting this information from him. It was a smart move by that judge, he probably realizes whom he’s dealing with. It’s just sad that these boys had to see their mother like that, but at least a responsible person close to them stepped up when it was needed. It’s not like Charlie could have cared for his sons with the help of his goddesses of the month, ordered from the “Barely Legal” film franchise. He knows he’s not equipped to be a full time dad. That’s more than you can say for Brooke.
Brooke with the boys in 2011
Charlie Sheen is shown in April. Denise Richards is shown with her daughters in February and at an event in April. Photos of Brooke alone are from December, 2012 and January, 2013. Photo credit: WENN.com, Fame/Flynet and PCNPhotos
Those boys look sad and tired.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. I hope Denise can bring them the stability and love they deserve.
yeah but in this case it could also be just the constant flashes from the photographers.
Those poor kids have probably seen and been through more than most adults. At least Charlie is responsible enough to know Denise is the best option for them.
As a mom, I wouldn’t ever want someone to take my kids away. However, Brooke has been given numerous chances and been to rehab many many times and always goes back to the drugs. I’m not saying completely cut her out of their lives, but Denise should be given custody of those boys until they are 18 w/ Brooke having supervised visitation.
Otherwise, those boys won’t stand a chance.
Wait! Why is Charlie getting ANY points here. The instant those kids were born he should have quite the ..goddesses. Passing your kids on so that you can keep shagging porn stars is NOT “responsible”. Ditch the lifestyle Charlie or get a vasectomy.
Tank – Charlie is getting points because he is supporting Denise to the hilt, both in public and in court, to maximize the chances for her to get guardianship. He knows that’s the best thing for the boys. It’s very hard to get the court to deny custody of young children to the mom, so something really obviously bad must have happened. As the father, he has some leverage, and he’s using it properly. I think he really wants to be a good dad to all his kids but he has a lot of limitations.
They will also be up against Brooke’s parents, who have pulled the boys away from Denise in the past in a face-saving maneuver. So Charlie’s promotion of Denise as providing the best situation for the kids is very important. My guess is that Denise has prepared for this and is in good contact with social services. She must have undergone a lot of official scrutiny when adopting her youngest daughter, so that’s helpful history. Some people have been bemoaning that Charlie is “using” Denise and “burdening” her with “his kids”. I doubt that Denise sees it that way. Families can be complicated, but clearly these boys, the brothers of her daughters, are indeed family to her. I’m sure she sees them as a blessing, not a burden.
Charlie needs to be “responsible” enough to get snipped. He has no business reproducing if he can’t handle the product (and that does not mean handing some $$$ and your offspring to someone else to raise).
What a loser.
I feel so sorry for those little boys, but my respect for Denise has increased. At least Charlie cares enough about the twins to make sure they’re in a loving stable home. I hope that Denise will be able to adopt them eventually. They should be with her and their sisters.
What a sad mess. I have a lot of respect for Denise.
Probably the best that could happen to the boys.
I have gained a great deal of respect for her as well. Anyone who puts the best interests of the children before themselves deserves all the credit they get for it.
Me too. Side note, the one boy looks like a little mini Charlie Sheen! Scowl and all lol.
All four kids have the Sheen “worry” eyebrows. I think it makes them look a little more antsy than they actually are.
I hope so. I hope they are happy kids and aren’t affected by their parents actions too much.
That one little boy with the straight hair looks like his uncle, Emilio. You can only hope for the best for these young children, all of them. I don’t know much about Denise Richards but she really does seem to have a good heart and it doesn’t seem as though she is doing this for media attention or anything. Marrying her was probably the best thing Charlie Sheen ever did.
I totally noticed that too. The kid already has the Estevez Tiger/Teen Beat squint down!
I feel so sorry for those poor boys but I’m glad they have someone. So many kids don’t have that one person willing to step up for them. I really hope Max and Bob stay with Denise. If Brooke can’t get clean after 19 visits to rehab than I doubt trip #20 will be any better. I would only consider reinstating her custody if she underwent a 6 month long residential treatment program followed by 18 months of living successfully in a clean and sober halfway house.
Agreed. She’s gone back too many times. Out of curiosity though, was Brooke on drugs/using before Charlie? I thought she was just a quiet real estate agent. Or was she known for being a party girl?
I think she was a partying socialite when Charlie met her. That may have been what attracted Charlie to her in the first place.
She was most definitely a very hard partier when she got with Charlie. To give you perspective: she’s been friends with Paris Hilton for a long time. Total LA party girl, but at the time she and Charlie got together he was still pretending that he’d straightened out hence the ‘nice real estate girl’ image.
One person stepping up can make all the difference – it can be truly amazing what an individual can do.
Charlie should be grateful Denise is such a good person there aren’t many woman who would raise their ex husbands ex wives kids. Brooke shouldn’t get them back until she has been clean a couple of years at least it’s no good giving them back then she lapses within a couple of months which is what she tends to do. Bob and Max need a stable home and with their sisters is the best place for them. I don’t think Charlie could raise a dog but at least he is aware of it.
Denise is SO impressive here, but I do think it sucks that Charlie isn’t willing to change his ways. Yes, it’s fantastic that his ex-wife can take the boys and they can be part of their sisters’ family, but it’s pretty sad when Mom’s a drug addict and Dad would rather hang with prostitutes and do his own drugs than be there for his sons.
Don’t get me wrong, I bet Denise’s household is the only sane place those boys could possibly be, but Charlie’s a really selfish asshole on so many levels here.
I think it has more to do with Charlie working all the time. Denise is pretty much a stay-at-home mom these days. She’ll be there for them when they need her, whereas Charlie will more than likely be in meetings or at the studio.
You don’t hear too much about Charlie’s wild lifestyle since he started the new show.
Agree Sherry. He’s working and not in another relationship so the kids would be raised by nannies. Better to have them with siblings and Denise, who is at home.
I agree that it sucks, but that’s the nature of addiction (and yes, Charlie is a drug-addict, not just a party-aficionado). It’s a vortex of shit. It actually reminded me of when Martin Sheen was in the peak of his alcoholism; he couldn’t get it together either at the time, even for the sake of his kids, to the point of where he almost died.
Denise seems to beautiful in the inside as well as the outside. Respect.
Totally agree. I wonder if those Boys even realize that Charlie is their dad. If they do, it must hurt them that they aren’t able to stay with him. Why doesn’t he step up to the plate? He is no better than Brooke and in fact worse because he can’t use rehab as an excuse to not care for his kids.
I doubt they are hurt that they can’t stay with their dad. They may be hurt that their dad doesn’t have them very high on his priority list, but they know what kind of person he is. Kids want stability and to be able to be kids, and they’re pretty good at knowing where that’s gonna be. Also, kids don’t automatically have more love for a biological parent than for any other caretaker. I bet they’re relieved to be with “Aunt Denise”, or whatever they call her, rather than someone else.
Emily, you are talking about 4 year old boys. If they dont feel rejected by their daddy now, they will in a couple of years from this one incident.
I was raised by my grandparents and I can tell you I wondered from a very young age why my parents didnt want me. When its both parents, you wonder whats wrong with you. Thank God they are twins and atleast have each other. And Denise.
I’m sure they prefer it at Denise’s house. Loads of activity and animals and other kids, and a live-in grandpa! Charlie definitely visits, we’ve seen him at the girls’ games and elsewhere. During his infamous meltdown in a hotel room with the hooker who probably stole his Rolex- Denise and the girls were in a nearby room, if not for the meltdown we might not have known they all were visiting the city together. So I suspect there are a lot more family gatherings of that type that the paps don’t catch because the paps don’t get called. Charlie would be awful as a single parent with physical custody, but those kids see him a lot more often than many children see their dads. Plenty of fathers visit once a year or less often. And often “less often” is much better… At least it was in my case. But Denise makes it possible for Charlie to be paternal when he’s able without doing damage, and her kids will be grateful for that when they’re full grown.
jwoolman – to add to what you said, Charlie recently purchased a house for Denise in the same gated community that he lives in which she now resides in.
best possible scenerio for all concerned. a stable parent figure, and dad a couple of minutes away.
She is a saint. I am sure she is well compensated for her goodness, though. Doesn’t have to make a pesky living as an actress – ever!
Fair enough, although I’m sure she’s already well compensated, after all she has two children with Charlie. Still, after all that went down when he got together with Brooke, and how they badmouthed Denise, I am more than impressed. As you well said: a saint.
She and Charlie were married when he began 2.5 Men. Community property state. You better believe she’s already been well compensated.
Lucky her to be be well off financially but it still takes a good person with a good heart to take in two little boys like this. She is doing something no amount of money can compensate her for.
Go head Denise! Simple as that.
thank goodness those boys have denise in their lives. whatever she has done/said in the past, this completely redeems her. charlie isn’t much of a human being, but i have to give him at least a bit of credit for realizing that his ex is the best place for those boys to be.
Those poor, poor kids. All four of them. And, possibly, Denise’s other daughter, I’m sure she seen and heard plenty.
Those poor babies look so sad and tired. The best thing for little kids is a schedule like it or not. You have to be consistent and little kids need lots of sleep. They should not have been with Brooke to begin with, not until she proves that she can stay sober.
As much as Charlie is a personally irresponsible, he has enough good sense to make proper arrangements for ALL his children.
Some parents don’t have that sort of sense eg Brooke, who can’t recognise that she needs to provide a good home for the boys above her mariad personal wants. At the very least, she could have allowed her parents to look after the boys instead of being forced to hand them over.
Very true LAK. It is one of Charlie’s redeeming aspects. Surprisingly it seems he does have a few!
I totally agree. Sometimes being a good parent means acknowledging the fact that you’re just not good enough.
Her parents are reported to be addicts, too, so it’s better that they are not with her. I really hope they don’t sue for custody if Brooke is in rehab long-term (which she should be).
wow! didn’t know that about Brooke’s parents.
I’d never thought of it that way but it’s very true. Charlie could have custody, hire nannies for the kids, and play a brilliant PR game about changing his ways. But he knows his limits and chooses the best option for the boys.
As a person, he’s done a lot of awful things, but as a celebrity he’s as honest as it gets in H-wood.
They should just leave those two angels with Denise.
Seriously, how bad will it be for their own sanity to move back to their mum’s until the next episode with drug ?
Let the boys with Denise for several years while their mum hopefuly gets her sanity back and has monitored visits.
They need stability. They have that with their ‘step mum’ Denise and have two elder sisters who will cherish and love them and care for them too…Not to mention Denise’s third daughter who’se closer in age and can become a little sis to them.
They will be in great company with a stable mum figure, older and younger siblings as well as a stable grand father figure in Denise own father.
I totally agree with this. Denise seems to have it together as a parent and she does have a wonderful dad who loves her and respects her and is there for her. Those kids need a stable adult male figure as well as a mother.
I totally agree as well. The kids’ welfare needs to come first.
And people called her every name in the book a couple of years ago.
This! I remember how when she broke up with Charlie everybody was trashing her, from legit gossip columnists to blog commenters, and they were kissing up to him. I remember being very uncomfortable with it at the time. Well, the truth is coming out, isn’t it? I’m sure she’s getting money to do it, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that she’s doing a tremendous thing here, taking the responsibility for two more children.
I feel so sorry for those kids. They look so miserable in these pictures; truly unhappy, not just little-kid cranky or tired. God knows what they’ve gone through. I hope they get a stable home environment in the end. It makes me so angry that people like meth-addict Brooke can have children, and people who want them and would be such responsible and loving parents can’t.
People in the Hollywood system will always side with the more powerful person unless they have very good reason not to, especially if the more powerful person is a man and the less powerful is a woman. Charlie’s obviously realized how wrong he was — how many gossip sites are going to apologize for trashing Denise? I’ve seen zero so far.
And I was looking at archives; people were just about saying that Denise MEANT to hit that old lady with the laptop, when it was a complete accident. I don’t blame Denise for being angry in the situation she was in; though throwing laptops was certainly not the best way to handle it, she did not throw the laptop AT anyone. But because of that, we were supposed to be on Team Charlie, though he was known to be violent and into drugs by then. It was really gross.
Denise is really doing the right thing, but lets get real: the woman was married to Charlie Sheen so its not like she was a saint. I thought a lot of the bad press she got during the divorce was because she was complaining about behavior of Sheen’s that was public knowledge long, long befoee they were together. And that long-standing rumor that she was a Heidi girl didnt help either.
Brooke makes me sad. Was she a heavy drug user before hooking up with Tiger Blood?
My understanding is that she and Charlie met in Rehab.
Anyone confirm this?
I heart Denise! But she has lost an extreme amount of weight, and I hope she is alright.
Those poor little boys look completely broken down at only four years old!
I hope they are able to let go of some of that while they are with Denise. So kind of her to bring them into her home.
Denise has really stepped up for those boys on several occasions and she is the only stable person in Charlie’s life.
I wonder why her parents couldn’t handle the boys, maybe they are too distraught and trying to be there for Brooke.
hopefully Brooke can get the help she needs, she keeps going into rehab, they need to try some hardcore treatments.
sad
I read somewhere that Brooke’s parents were caught lying to family services about Brooke’s condition and whereabouts so they would not allow them to be Max and Bob’s caregiver. They sound like the type of people that are enabling Brooke.
so sad, smdh
Charlie provides a huge amount of CS monthly, I guess she has them in check for financial reasons.
I’m glad the boys have a home with Denise. It is a shame the neither of their parents is willing to clean up their own life for the kids.
i dont know what i should tihnk about Charlie Sheen, sure he at least knows that he is not the right person and they should be with Denise but he is their father…at least he gives his financial support.
for Brooke: Well if you have been to rehab almost 20 times and you have little kids and all of that hasnt changed you, i dont see a bright future ahead.
I have a friend who struggles with substance abuse, he was in and out of rehab about 4 times before this last one. He just could not stay clean and slipped up every time he got out. Finally his family made one last ditch effort and he has successfully completed a 2 year treatment program and seems to be committed and doing well. For a hard core addict 30, 60 or even 90 days of treatment is NOT enough. If Brooke wants to be clean and sober for her kids she really needs to consider long term treatment not some brief stint in a celebrity spahab. Thank god those cute boys have Denise. They already look angry even being so young (although that might just be the Charlie Sheen expression coming through haha.
Denise has really grown on me too–especially since I saw her try to fix-up her father on Millionaire Matchmaker. Maybe now those poor kiddos well get the stability they need.
from the pic above it seems brooke was at the “keep a child alive” event with the boys! ironic much?
Such a sad situation all the way around. These little boys have been thru so much at their age. I wonder if they know what’s going on? I thought it telling when Brooks mom said there was nothing wrong, things were status quo. She was going to take them & Dcf called Denise. G’ma has really never kept the boys. I think this is rehab 20? What a shame.. Thank God for Denise, such a stable force.
Charlie should have stayed with Denise. She is a good woman.
Those poor boys. 🙁
These children are lucky to have Denise care for them and money to help them. It makes me feel extra sad for all the babies that deal with crap like this and don’t have the same resources.
I don’t think she wants kids.. just to party..
Man, Brooke looks struuung out in that last picture.
Denise is a great woman … a saint. Remember the hard time everyone gave her when her and Charlie split up? We should all hang our heads in shame.
A meth addict with a publicist. Wow.
That’s what I thought too – SHE has a publicist???
I feel so bad for those boys but this has raised my esteem for Denise so much and Charlie some. She has really stepped up as a stable positive force for these kids. And she in no way had to. Charlie may be a loser but screwed up as it all is, he’s doing what he can for the boys. He knows living with him would not be good for then. That is in no way something to be proud of but he found a stable home for the kids and from what I’ve read contributes considerable amounts financially. That’s more than a lot do and I’m sure makes the stability with Denise possible for the kids.
I agree and Denise’s dad is probably a stable (sober) influence and her kids are the boys half siblings. I wonder where Brooke’s parents are though. Last year there were reports they were selling their home in another state to move to CA to be with Brooke and help take care of the boys and there has been no mention of them for a while. Maybe they have their hands full with supporting Brooke and under too much emotional stress to care for the boys on a regular basis?
So Charlie finally did right by his kids and didn’t use his power to stop the kids from (FINALLY) being taken from their obviously ill mother AND didn’t take custody himself. Kudos Charlie. I’m sure Denise will temp get part or all of Brooke’s child support (about $50,000 I think) and that’s only fair and its normal in that world of wealth. Charlie will probably cover expenses for Brooke’s care. But the boys still love their mom I’m sure as dysfunctional as she is so she owes it to them to do what she has to find her path to sobriety. I wish Brooke luck. My sister and brother struggled with addiction and its devastating to everyone involved.
I’m glad the boys will have a chance to bond with their half-sisters.
Shocking!
Denise is NOT “the first ex wife” of Charlie as written in this article, she is his second ex wife. His first wife was Donna Peele whom he married in 1995 around the time of the Heidi Fleiss trial.
Don’t know what the court will do, but the best scenario would be for the boys to stay with Denise permanently with an open invitation to visit for their parents (when sober…) and grandparents. Would give the boys a stable home base but keep everybody else in the picture. If anybody could handle such an arrangement, it would be Denise. I remember seeing bits of her “reality show”- usually such things make me cringe, and she did some of the usual silly stuff for the cameras, but there was clearly a genuineness to her that I didn’t see with the Kardashians and Diba Lohan. I found myself liking her more and more the more I saw of her (and especially her wonderful dad who came to live with her after her mom died), unlike most other “reality show” people for whom the cringe factor increases exponentially on more and more exposure. I was glad that Charlie had refused to grant permission for his girls to be routinely seen in the show, however. Denise seems to have really grown as a person since then. I think she’s the real deal and not in it for money or publicity.
I agree. Looking at that photo of those kids with their beaten-down unhappy faces made my heart break.
Denise probably has a well-run, fun home. With regular meals, naps, bedtime stories and a regular bedtime. And they would be with their sisters – part of a family.
Dear god, make permanent custody happen for them.
shame on Charlie for not stepping up to take care of his sons. Smh….
Charlie isn’t completely clean either and he never will be. He’s just back in his more manageable state of not being off the rails. He also works long hours on his TV show. It would be nannies with the kids. He’s thinking of the kids by them being with Denise as far as regular day-to-day custody.
He has steady visitation with the boys and it was probably him who turned the ex in from what he knew or saw. He will have them like usual at his home for his regular visitation, and he lives down the street from Denise and can stop by on the way home from work some days and see them. It’s best for the kids this way. Denise is the only sane one in the group and the only nurturing one. The girls love their brothers.
I believe work distracts Charlie from his regular drug abuse. When he got fired, it escalated. As bad as he is, we’ve never heard him being unprofessional on the set, which is why he keeps getting hired, unlike Lohan.
I agree with everyone that the children are in the best place for now. Charlie is not full-time dad material right now due to him finally trying to get his own life back on track after years of partying. At least he and Denise over the years have burried their differences and have come to a mutual, loving respect for one another. I feel that is great for them as adults and their children together and not together. Denise will reap the benefits financial and emotionally to have a home full of love and laughter!
I hope Charlie really appreciates what a wonderful thing Denise is doing for the boys. I also think he owes her a HUGE public apology for all the times he publicly smeared her in the past.
As for Brooke, how is she only 35? She looks closer to 50.
drugs age a a person.
Crystal meth is particularly notorious for destroying a person’s looks. i am personally surprised she look THIS good.
An ad campaign against using crystal meth was run a few years back which used the faces of regular users who had been arrested repeatedly. Their deterioration was truly shocking.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244031/The-horror-Meth-Before-pictures-reveal-shocking-transformation-faces-users-hooked-deadly-drug.html
Another reason to never use meth!
Having meth addicts in my family unfortunatley I know that those boys have seen horrible things. Even after getting clean meth addicts are a relapse ticking time bomb bc the drug is never as good as the time before it so they are always craving that initial high. Denise deserves a lot of credit
Anyone criticizing Denise Richards needs to shut it. She is amazing.
wow. Major respect for Denise. I’m humbled.
She’s looked a bit stressed in recent pics, and I know there have been some questions about an apparent weight loss. I hope she has a good support system and is remembering to take care of herself. Bless her heart.
I admire Denise so much. She clearly loves all those children and seems to be an excellent mother. I sure hope Charlie is ordered to pay her some big bucks so she can hire some help. Five very young children is a load.
It’s interesting that some members of the press / gossip world are referring to this as a “custody battle”. That would suggest that there is fighting over who should get the kids when in actual fact all involved parties appear to agree that they should be with Denise right now.
I think Brooke’s parents have tried for custody or something.
Remember all the trash talking about Denise, Heather and their men?
All I can say is this:
DENISE ROCKS
I still think that denise’s youngest daughter looks like a sheen too! is it possible she could have been the product of a one night stand (or the like) & denise adopted her as well?
In other pictures, those boys look so happy with Denise. I think it’s great that she has taken care of them and that they can be with their half sisters, too. It’s an extended family that really works and I think Denise should be nominated at mother of the year.
I’m sure Denise receives financial help from Charlie. However, putting her feelings aside and raising children of another ex-wife whom he married right after her and used to badmouth her must not be easy. She really does have kindness.