Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel's Custody Battle Recap — inside the Scandals

Kathryn Dennis and ex-boyfriend Thomas Ravenel's ugly custody case was sealed after claims that the reality star abuses cocaine and neglects their children.

"Southern Charm star" Kathryn Dennis and Thomas Ravenel have been involved in a vicious court case over the custody of their two children. The end of their tempestuous relationship was ugly and promises to get uglier yet.

Dennis has been accused by Ravenel of being an unfit mother, of being addicted to cocaine, neglecting their children, and putting them at risk. The court has now sealed the case, presumably to protect the children.

LOVE FALLS APART

In 2015, it seemed as if the handsome, volatile Ravenel and southern belle Dennis were living out every romantic fantasy. They were in love; they had a beautiful daughter, Kensington, and welcomed son Saint in November of the same year.

Then, in 2016, things fell apart. The couple split and were awarded shared custody of the children. Dennis went into rehab, admitting to an addiction to marijuana, which she had used to self-medicate for depression and anxiety.

ROUND 1

Dennis accused Ravenel of not paying child support, which left her in dire financial circumstances. Her ex stated that the reality star was neglectful of their children and violated their custody agreement, denying him access.

Ravenel further claimed that when the children were in Dennis's custody, she left them with her mother so she could party and do drugs and frequently failed to take them to school on time in the mornings.

ASSAULT CHARGES

Then in early 2018, Ravenel was accused of sexual assault, and in November the same year, another alleged victim stepped forward: his children's former nanny Dawn Ledwell. Ledwell also happens to be a close friend of Dennis'.

The first accusation ended in a settlement, and in the second, Ravenel pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, third-degree assault and battery, was ordered to pay a $500 fine and served no time for the crime.

Ravenel has recently welcomed a third child, son Jonathan Jackson Ravenel, with ex-girlfriend Heather Mascoe.

NEGLECTFUL MOM

Now, Ravenel alleges that his children, Kensington and Saint, frequently return from their time in their mother's custody unbathed and smelly, and Saint is often wearing too-small dirty clothes and is without his shoes.

Ravenel -- who faced federal charges on cocaine possession -- also claims that Dennis is addicted to cocaine and has left drugs lying around the house where her children could get at them, thereby endangering them.

Dennis responded, denying that she uses cocaine and could not have exposed her children to the dangerous drug. She further agreed to undergo a drug test provided Ravenel paid for it and took it too.

Ravenel backed up his claims of neglect by revealing that Dennis's neighbors had called the police after seeing the now 5-year-old Saint wandering down the street unsupervised. Dennis justified herself, stating that her father had fallen asleep while babysitting.

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME

Graver by far is Ravenel's claims that little Saint was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome caused by Dennis' consumption of drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy. Ravenel alleges that the FAS has left Saint with developmental delays.

According to the Mayo Clinic, alcohol consumption by the mother reduces the delivery of oxygen and nutrition to the fetus and may cause serious developmental problems at both a physical and central nervous system level.

Dennis has not denied the FAS diagnosis, nor the fact that she has failed to collaborate with the work program Saint's teacher devised to help him catch up with his little classmates.

Ravenel has recently welcomed a third child, son Jonathan Jackson Ravenel with ex-girlfriend Heather Mascoe. Little Jonathan was born in June 2020, and Dennis apparently learned of his existence through social media.