The battle that’s raging between Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and his estranged wife, Sioughvaughn, is raging out of control, at least according to Wade. He’s now said he will file a petition on April 2 for sole custody of their children together, claiming that Sioughvaughn is unstable and unfit to raise them.
“I’m sorry to say that many of the things she has done during our marriage and throughout this divorce have convinced me that it is not in our children’s best interest that she have custody,” Wade said in his statement to The AP. “As a result, I have decided to fight for custody of our children.”
The couple has two boys, ages 8 and 2.
According to the petition, “Siohvaughn Wade’s behavior has made it evident that she is unstable, dishonest, unbalanced, unwilling to accept responsibility for her actions, not of good character, and therefore, unfit to be a custodial parent.”
“For more than two years, I have tried to make peace with Siohvaughn concerning our divorce and custody of our kids,” he said in a statement released to The AP. “I no longer believe that’s possible. Siohvaughn has consistently attempted to interrupt or prevent me from having visitation time with our boys.”
Documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal that Wade alleges Siohvaughn cannot “be considered a fit and proper person” to raise their children. In more than 300 pages of filings, the All-Star says his wife exhibited threatening behavior, had extramarital affairs, uses abusive parenting methods and is unwilling to let the 2006 NBA Finals MVP see his children.
In addition to the petition for the children, Wade has asked that his wife be ordered to undergo a psychological examination.
“I feel our children’s health and safety are at stake,” he said. “Our two children are my top priority.”
The couple separated in August 2007 and back-and-forth bickering, including Siohvaughn alleging — and later withdrawing due to a defamation lawsuit — that Dwyane infected her with an STD, has followed. Their divorce trial is scheduled to begin June 7.
“They put us in a position and they put Dwyane in a position that he has no alternative,” said Wade’s attorney, James Pritikin. “If he really wants to make sure that his children grow up in a healthy environment, he’s got to be the custodial parent for these children. He’s the only one that can give them emotional stability and place their safety and health above all else.”
The two were high school sweathearts, but lost their way when “they cut God out of the relationship and let fame and wealth get in the way,” Sioughvaughn revealed in the “Basketball Wives” documentary. –gerald radford
Source: (Miami Herald)
