Sherri Papini back in court for custody battle, case continued until May
REDDING, Calif. — Sherri Papini, who gained national attention nearly nine years ago for faking her own kidnapping, is back in court on Friday, this time fighting for custody of her children. Papini was previously charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and one count of making false statements to the FBI.
In the current proceedings, Papini is seeking reunification with one child and increased visitation with another. The court has stipulated that the children's names and ages not be disclosed. Additionally, Papini is requesting that her children not be shown a Hulu docuseries created by her ex-husband, Keith Papini, which was released in 2024. In her request, she stated that Keith is "reopening old wounds and putting her children’s best interests below his ego and hatred towards her.
Sherri’s defense argued for more time with her children, claiming Keith is projecting his past feelings onto the children and lacks proof that she is an unfit mother. Keith Papini, in court, said, "I don't think therapy will help Sherri. I don't think anything can help Sherri. She's been like this all her life. She's lived her whole life this way, and I don't see immediate change out of that world she is so used to."
Keith’s defense argued that Sherri's actions subjected the children to the belief that she was kidnapped, putting them through "hell" and asserting that they could not thrive under her "pathological personality."
Papini's custody case has been continued, postponing the proceedings for two months. She returns to court on May 20. Attempts to reach both Keith and Sherri’s legal counsel for comment have been unsuccessful.
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