New Revelations in Bridegan Case: Did the Gardners Mislead the Court for Custody?
Oct 10, 2023, 10:00 AM
In a recent turn of events surrounding the high-profile case of Shanna Gardner-Fernandez, the parents of Gardner-Fernandez are under scrutiny for allegedly providing misleading information to the court to gain custody of their grandchildren. The case has garnered significant attention, considering the implications for two innocent children at its center.
Currently, Abby and Liam, the 11-year-old twins of Jared Bridegan and Gardner-Fernandez, are under the care of their maternal grandparents. Before Jared's untimely death, the exes had maintained a joint custody arrangement, which allowed the twins to live half of the year with their half-siblings and Jared's widow, Kirsten Bridegan. However, since Jared's passing, Kirsten has passionately pleaded for visitation, stating that the children have been "kept away and isolated from us."
However, the situation took a more convoluted turn when the Gardner’s' custody petition came under the spotlight. They submitted a petition to Benton County Superior Court in Washington state, seeking full custody of the twins. The document asked specific questions about the residency of the children. One question was clear: "During the past 5 years have any of the children lived…outside Washington state?" The Gardners reportedly marked "No." This, however, stands in direct contrast to the fact that Gardner-Fernandez and the children moved from Florida to Washington only in December 2022, presumably to evade the public gaze due to the highly publicized murder case.
The discrepancy doesn't end there. The Gardners, who primarily reside in Utah, were the benefactors of the million-dollar residence that became the sanctuary for Gardner-Fernandez before her arrest. Legal experts believe that the Gardners may have deliberately provided false residency information to prevent the case from being litigated in Florida, where Jared's parents live, a move that could potentially backfire.
Prominent matrimonial lawyer Marilyn Chinitz, known for representing Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise and Michael Douglas, weighed in on the controversy, telling Fox News Digital, "Coming to the court and patently lying by filling out a form with false information warrants a complete dismissal of their application." Chinitz added, "The court will look at that petition with a really jaundiced eye."
Moreover, the petition raised more eyebrows when the Gardners answered "No" to a query asking if they knew of anyone, other than themselves and the twins' parents, who had, or claimed to have, a legal right to spend time with the twins. This is striking, given that Kirsten Bridegan, Jared's widow, has been very vocal about her desire to visit the children. She has been on record, expressing her deep anguish over being denied access to Abby and Liam, lamenting to reporters, "We are their family. We love them. Despite my constant requests to see or speak to them, I have been denied and continuously ignored." Notably, Jared's parents, Gaylord and Joanna Bridegan have also expressed their desire to be with their grandchildren.
Commenting on the glaring inconsistencies in the petition, Chinitz noted, "This is a highly publicized case where the widow and paternal grandparents are out there saying they want to see the kids. I can’t even justify why they would make that false statement."
Further deepening the suspicion, the Gardners left out mentioning the twins' substantial trust accounts when asked to list the children's assets in the petition. Shelli Gardner, owner of the successful papercraft company, Stampin' Up!, has been the financial pillar for Gardner-Fernandez for the majority of her adult life. The Gardners recently severed more ties with Florida, selling their oceanfront Jacksonville Beach property for a whopping $3,650,000.
As this legal and familial drama continues to unfold, the primary concern remains the well-being of two innocent children caught in the crossfire. Legal experts, the media, and the public are all closely watching, waiting to see how the court will handle the questionable information provided by the Gardners and what that means for the future of Abby and Liam.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
Currently, Abby and Liam, the 11-year-old twins of Jared Bridegan and Gardner-Fernandez, are under the care of their maternal grandparents. Before Jared's untimely death, the exes had maintained a joint custody arrangement, which allowed the twins to live half of the year with their half-siblings and Jared's widow, Kirsten Bridegan. However, since Jared's passing, Kirsten has passionately pleaded for visitation, stating that the children have been "kept away and isolated from us."
However, the situation took a more convoluted turn when the Gardner’s' custody petition came under the spotlight. They submitted a petition to Benton County Superior Court in Washington state, seeking full custody of the twins. The document asked specific questions about the residency of the children. One question was clear: "During the past 5 years have any of the children lived…outside Washington state?" The Gardners reportedly marked "No." This, however, stands in direct contrast to the fact that Gardner-Fernandez and the children moved from Florida to Washington only in December 2022, presumably to evade the public gaze due to the highly publicized murder case.
The discrepancy doesn't end there. The Gardners, who primarily reside in Utah, were the benefactors of the million-dollar residence that became the sanctuary for Gardner-Fernandez before her arrest. Legal experts believe that the Gardners may have deliberately provided false residency information to prevent the case from being litigated in Florida, where Jared's parents live, a move that could potentially backfire.
Prominent matrimonial lawyer Marilyn Chinitz, known for representing Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise and Michael Douglas, weighed in on the controversy, telling Fox News Digital, "Coming to the court and patently lying by filling out a form with false information warrants a complete dismissal of their application." Chinitz added, "The court will look at that petition with a really jaundiced eye."
Moreover, the petition raised more eyebrows when the Gardners answered "No" to a query asking if they knew of anyone, other than themselves and the twins' parents, who had, or claimed to have, a legal right to spend time with the twins. This is striking, given that Kirsten Bridegan, Jared's widow, has been very vocal about her desire to visit the children. She has been on record, expressing her deep anguish over being denied access to Abby and Liam, lamenting to reporters, "We are their family. We love them. Despite my constant requests to see or speak to them, I have been denied and continuously ignored." Notably, Jared's parents, Gaylord and Joanna Bridegan have also expressed their desire to be with their grandchildren.
Commenting on the glaring inconsistencies in the petition, Chinitz noted, "This is a highly publicized case where the widow and paternal grandparents are out there saying they want to see the kids. I can’t even justify why they would make that false statement."
Further deepening the suspicion, the Gardners left out mentioning the twins' substantial trust accounts when asked to list the children's assets in the petition. Shelli Gardner, owner of the successful papercraft company, Stampin' Up!, has been the financial pillar for Gardner-Fernandez for the majority of her adult life. The Gardners recently severed more ties with Florida, selling their oceanfront Jacksonville Beach property for a whopping $3,650,000.
As this legal and familial drama continues to unfold, the primary concern remains the well-being of two innocent children caught in the crossfire. Legal experts, the media, and the public are all closely watching, waiting to see how the court will handle the questionable information provided by the Gardners and what that means for the future of Abby and Liam.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com