‘RHONY’ Star Bethenny Frankel Requests Full Custody of Daughter, Slams Ex’s ‘Abusive Behavior’

Bethenny Frankel faced her ex-husband Jason Hoppy in court Monday as custody negotiations continue.

The Real Housewives of New York City star reportedly sought for full custody of 8-year-old daughter, Bryn in order to “protect” the little girl from Hoppy’s behavior.

“Why are we doing this? To protect the child,” Frankel’s lawyer told the court, according to Radar Online. “The father’s behavior before and after their marriage is extremely harmful to Bryn. His abusive behavior towards her not only damages her relationship with her mother, but to everyone else in her life.”

Frankel’s lawyer later added more instances in which Hoppy allegedly bullied the reality television personality.

“[He was] physically pulling the child away from Ms. Frankel, leaving negative articles out about Ms. Frankel, [and] doesn’t flush the toilet,” he said in his opening argument, according to the New York Post‘s Page Six. “[He] locked up Cookie [Frankel’s late dog], in a storage closet and wouldn’t reveal her whereabouts for hours.”

During Monday’s court appearance, a judge heard a text message exchange in which Hoppy told Frankel to “think of the example” she was setting for Bryn, saying that Frankel had a reputation “as a mean girl.”

Frankel responded saying: “Fyi, this ‘mean girl’s’ ratings are way up. And provides for you, Bryn, and pays your rent… You’re welcome to hire a parenting lawyer.”

According to Us Weekly, Hoppy’s lawyer said that his client has shown remorse for his past actions and hopes to move forward with the existing agreement, which calls for joint custody.

“While Bethenny seems intent on making this trial about her and Jason, and about the alleged issues between the two, this court must instead be guided by what is best for this child,” the lawyer argued, according to Radar. “And the evidence will show that Bryn is happy, healthy, smart and well-adjusted.”

The new claims come a few weeks after Frankel testified about the length of her abuse while she was married to Hoppy.

“The conflict was day in and day out torture,” she said March 6, via PEOPLE. “Emotional, mental, phone, FaceTime, being followed, being harassed, being verbally attacked and all-out assault in every possible way — on my character, on my mental state, on my family, on my parenting, on my career, on my life.”

“I tried to use an arsenal of tools to protect myself to reduce the damage for myself and Bryn,” she continued. “I tried to keep Bryn away from it. I was very emotionally upset, I tried to really separate her from that. I tried to grieve privately.”

“I felt hopeless and helpless. I had no way out,” she told the court. “I knew I was being abused.”

Frankel and Hoppy married March 2010. The couple separated in December 2012 and did not finalize their divorce until July 2016. The RHONY star was previously married to Peter Sussman from 1996 to 1997, and is reportedly now dating Paul Bernon.

Real Housewives of New York City airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on the Bravo Network.