'90 Day Fiance' Star Speaks out About Claims He and Son Are Missing Amid Custody Dispute
90 Day Fiancé's Paul Staehle has denied kidnapping his eldest son Pierre after the two were reported missing by Child Protective Services. The 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days alum, who shares 3-year-old Pierre and 16-month-old son Ethan with ex Karine Martins, told TMZ Saturday that he took his oldest son on a long trip last month for work and they are both safe.
Pierre was listed earlier this month on a now-deleted alert from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as having been missing since June 8, with the Louisville Metro Police Department confirming to InTouch Weekly that the little boy was reported missing on June 9. Staehle claimed to TMZ that he had sole custody of his children and brought Pierre along as he looked for a job in Pennsylvania and Florida, as the little boy suffers from "extreme separation anxiety."
After he left, local CPS officials reportedly took custody of his other son, who was allegedly staying with Staehle's mother. Staehle claimed he planned on heading back to Louisville to regain custody of his kids. Staehle and Martins have had a tumultuous relationship since meeting in person during the first season of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. Tying the knot in 2017, Staehle and Martins welcomed Pierre two years later and Ethan in February 2021.
The reality stars made headlines in August 2020 after Staehle alleged that Martins and Pierre were missing after an argument. "Karine took off with Pierre and I don't know where they are," the TLC personality said on Instagram at the time, saying that he was "worried for her safety" and wanted "to get a hold of her." Hours later, Staehle revealed that Martins filed a restraining order against him, claiming that he had sexually assaulted her and that she was "not allowed to leave the house."
"I am terrified he will hurt me or hurt my son because I runned [sic] away from him and I am even afraid to go back to Brazil now because he can go to Brazil and hurt us. [I do] not want any contact with him," she claimed at the time. Staehle denied the allegations at the time. The couple has split and reconciled numerous times.