Fame & Fallout•2 MIN READ

Christina Ricci's Ex Loses Emergency Custody Bid After Son's Plane Texts

Susan Blake

Updated Jun 30, 2026

Caption: Christina Ricci at Los Angeles Comic Con in 2024. Credit: Kevin Paul, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

A judge denied Christina Ricci’s ex-husband’s request for emergency custody of their 11-year-old son after the boy walked back the text messages that had prompted the filing in the first place.

What You Should Know

James Heerdegen filed an emergency custody request after their son, Freddie, texted him alleging Ricci had been drinking during a June 16 flight to Canada, according to People. Ricci, who shares legal custody of Freddie with Heerdegen, acknowledged in her response that Freddie had reached out to his father and used “certain words” to describe her behavior, but two days later Freddie told his own legal counsel he had “overreacted.”

The Public Image Problem

According to court documents reviewed by Us Weekly, Freddie told his attorney the description of Ricci’s behavior “was not as he had described it” and said he had “no fear” of remaining in his mother’s primary custody. Heerdegen had also sought alcohol testing for Ricci as part of the filing; the judge denied that request as well.

The Receipts

The court agreed to seal the text messages between Freddie and his father, citing concerns about the child’s privacy after he had previously experienced bullying, People reported. Ricci and Heerdegen finalized their divorce in December 2022 after Ricci obtained a domestic violence restraining order against him in 2021, allegations he has denied; Ricci has final say over Freddie’s education and medical care under their custody arrangement.

What Happens Next

With the emergency request denied, the custody arrangement remains unchanged, and any further dispute would move through the normal custody process rather than an emergency filing. Ricci’s representatives have not issued an additional statement beyond her court response.

References: People | Us Weekly