Derek Richard Thomas, who welcomed Louetta with Willis in April 2023, made these claims in a supplemental declaration in their custody battle
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/rumer-willis-derek-richard-thomas-060326-5e12288c36364fe9bdfa2e24f17ef7cf.jpg "Rumer Willis; Derek Richard Thomas")
Credit: Nick Tininenko/Getty; Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
NEED TO KNOW
- Rumer Willis and Derek Richard Thomas are in a custody battle over their 3-year-old daughter Louetta
- Willis has accused Thomas of emotional abuse and inappropriate behavior during their relationship and as a parent
- Thomas denied the allegations and claimed Willis is commercially exploiting their daughter by having her appear in paid ads
Rumer Willis' ex-boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas has filed new documents in their custody dispute, denying the actress's claims of abuse and accusing her of exploiting their 3-year-old daughter, Louetta.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the musician, 30, denied the claims of abuse that the Now and Then actress, 37, made in her recent declaration opposing his child custody order. He also alleged that Willis exploited their daughter by having her appear in a paid commercial that contained "adult sexual humor."
"Respondent’s coordinated media strategy and its harm to Louetta are a serious concern," Thomas' declaration read. "On February 22, 2026, I sent Respondent a written objection to Louetta’s appearance in paid commercial advertising, noting a specific ad which contained adult sexual humor that was not appropriate context for a two-year-old."
A rep for Willis did not immediately respond to a request from PEOPLE, while Thomas' attorney Mike Kretzmer had no comment.
Credit: Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty
This recent filing comes after Willis accused Thomas of emotional abuse after filing court documents for custody of their toddler daughter. According to court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE, the actress has been fighting for custody of her toddler daughter since last July.
In a declaration opposing Thomas' request for a child custody order, Willis claimed that Thomas has displayed a "persistent pattern" of "insane emotional abuse" that's been occurring since before their breakup in 2024. She added that the alleged abuse was "often in front of the minor child or while they were trapped in the car with him."
Willis, who filed for primary physical custody of Louetta, alleged in the filing that Thomas has engaged in "ongoing coercive control through prolonged circular verbal attacks that he is unable or unwilling to stop."
She also claimed that Thomas engaged in this type of attack for "over six hours at a time on what became a daily basis." Willis further alleged that Thomas' "erratic and bizarre" behavior "escalated" after the birth of their daughter in April 2023.
"I was constantly trying to keep the peace and walk on eggshells," she claimed in the filing. "He wanted to isolate me from my friends and family. He constantly called me a liar with no reason behind it. He told me I was a bad girlfriend all the time."
Willis, who is the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, alleged in her declaration that Thomas exhibited "paranoid behavior" and that he claimed she and her mom were "plotting" to take Louetta away from him.
"For a long time, it was difficult for me to stand up to [Thomas] as I tried to avoid his emotional tirades and abuse even for a long time after he moved out," Willis claimed.
She also alleged in the filing that Thomas' behavior has left Louetta "traumatized" and "crying a lot," which is why she doesn't want him to have "overnights or time with Louetta" without an Evidence Code Section 730 child custody evaluation.
She also said in the declaration that she is concerned about Thomas' now-fiancée, Lizzie Loch, being present during his custodial time due to his alleged "history of fighting in relationships, and in front of the child."
Credit: Daniele Venturelli/Getty; Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
Thomas fired back at Willis in a reply declaration made in support of his request for a child custody order, claiming that she only made this request because she is "enraged" by their daughter's "clear affection" for Loch. He also denied Willis' abuse claims but said that their relationship was "unhealthy."
"I have committed no acts of domestic violence in any form, including any active coercive control. [Our] relationship was unhealthy and appropriately came to an end, but it was not all characterized by any violence, physical or emotional attacks or intimidation on my part," he claimed.
"The decision to end the relationship between myself and [Rumer] was a mutual decision made in our mutual best interests," Thomas continued.
He also pushed back on Willis' request that he submit to court-ordered drug testing due to his alleged "chronic daily marijuana use and evidence of behavior indicative of someone under the influence of drugs for extended periods of time."
Thomas said in the filing that he's not a "current user of marijuana," although he admitted that he was previously a user of the substance "as legally allowed." However, he claimed that he never used marijuana to the degree that he was "unable to fully and properly fulfill my duties and obligations as Louetta's father."
Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In her declaration, Willis alleged Thomas was once so high that he could not "even watch [Louetta] for those couple of minutes without her rolling off the couch."
She also claimed in the declaration that Thomas let Louetta "fall off the bed once in November 2023" and alleged that he "then made it all about him that I was upset about him letting her fall off the bed instead of just comforting her baby and helping her feel better."
Willis also claimed that she asked that Thomas not be allowed to bathe with Louetta, saying it is "highly inappropriate" for him to bathe with her "naked at her age."
In his filing, Thomas claimed that his daughter has "never suffered for any want in my care, has never been injured in any way, has not suffered trauma or emotional or physical abuse of any kind nor been neglected at any time she's been in my care. [Rumer] fails to detail, even a single credible instance of any mistreatment or neglect by me."
Willis confirmed her split from Thomas in August 2024. The two had been together since 2022, and confirmed in December of that year that they were expecting their first baby together. They went on to welcome their daughter, Louetta Isley Thomas Willis, on April 18, 2023.
Comments
Post a Comment