Court Investigates Abuse
For details of Walsh Family Abuse, please review The Abuse overview. Below excerpts from the filing to Child Protective Services and the Courts.
From the S♥️E Archive:
Background: A long history of abuse at the Walsh Household
Tara Walsh was largely estranged from her parents during our three-year relationship. As a child she was ‘diagnosed’ with the same hereditary disorder as the rest of her siblings – both biological and adopted – and sued (her parents) for emancipation with the help of her Aunt (Exhibit 1). Tara, however, denied this in a sworn affidavit (Exhibit 2) even though it had been documented in multiple places and been a topic of conversation with my Mother, Linda Russell, just a few months prior. (Exhibit 3). Brienne Walsh-Zipperer, Tara’s sister, talks about the aftermath:
"Let me tell you — it was fucking awful. I don’t think one of my brothers has ever recovered from it, or forgiven me. Our house was dead for ten years after."
- Brienne Walsh recounts the aftermath of the Walsh Family Case (Exhibit 4)
Brienne Walsh-Zipperer is estranged from the family and confirmed in her recent deposition that her childhood was, in fact, abusive (Exhibit 5). She has chronicled for over a decade the family’s abusive behavior and dysfunction in her blog “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn.” A few excerpts are listed below:
On Maura Walsh:
- "I had an abusive childhood, and abusive situations are what I crave." "When I was younger, if I told my mom that I was angry at her, she sometimes punched me, she sometimes stopped feeding me [...]” (Exhibit 6)
- "Mom punished us both for being strong willed. We were hit. When I’m angry how do I diffuse the anger away from Cleo? How do I protect her?” (Exhibit 7)
- "I grew up with the fear of alcoholism instilled in my heart by my mother, who gave me a shot of whiskey when I was 8- years-old and said to me, 'Isn’t that disgusting? You know you’re an alcoholic, right?'" (Exhibit 8)
Brienne had her first breakdown at school in 8th grade and largely contributes it to, “Modifying my behavior to keep the abusive situation at home under control, which meant trying to make my mother happy. I never talk about my childhood being "abusive," which it was.” (Exhibit 9)
On Steve Walsh:
- "I peed the bed until I was 16, and part of the reason for that was that if I couldn't fall asleep at night, my father used to make me go sit at the kitchen table so that I wouldn't keep on waking him up" (Exhibit 10)
- "Because sometimes I do lose my temper, I act lesser than, I let my worst self get the best of me, I can also be a fucking asshole... Every day, I struggle to suppress this part of myself, the part of myself I get from my dad." (Exhibit 11)
- "Last night, I received a huge package from my dad. I was at tennis practice when it arrived. Caleb called me to tell me about it. My parents have not spoken to me in over a year. No letters, no phone calls, no presents for the kids for their birthdays, or holidays. No packages. I started crying. “I don’t want to open it,” I said, because I knew that it was not a gift, but instead, some sort of emotional bomb. Caleb opened it for me. “It’s your wedding dress,” he said. I never learned from anyone that I was enough. I got home, and Caleb was waiting at the door for me with the kids." (Exhibit 12)
On the aftermath:
- "I don't want to be an abusive parent. I don’t want to be a screamer, or a hitter. I don’t want Cleo to have an eating disorder, or a complex, or be medicated from the time she can pee in an adult toilet." (Exhibit 13)
- “No therapist has ever been able to heal this sadness I feel over the fucked up things that have happened in my family.” (Exhibit 14)
"I think of the images I post on my own Instagram. In the pool with my big, good- looking family. On our big family estate. And I think how those images lie so hard." (Exhibit 15)
Meanwhile the Walshes have “adopted” two Korean girls, in a kind of do-over. The girls, like dolls, were regularly forced to dress alike despite being three years apart, even as teenagers. This became a hot topic of gossip amongst Chappaqua natives (Exhibit 16)
Brienne wrote that “the twins” responded to abuse at their home in much the same way that she and Tara had,
“They are not genetically the same as me, but their reactions to the abuse were identical. One reacts by being super good, and the other reacts by acting out, and they still get punished equally.” (Exhibit 17).
Tara Walsh texted me something similar shortly after returning to her childhood estate,
“Kiara was having a breakdown – I can’t help but think my Mom gave bpd to 4/6 of us.” (Exhibit 18). In addition to emotional trauma and abuse, she alleges physical abuse as well.
“It’s honestly horrible living here – it's not healthy living here. I feel so sorry for my sisters. And they get into physical fights and stuff with my parents.” (Exhibit 19)
Most shockingly, at least one of the adopted daughters was diagnosed with the same hereditary disorder as the rest of the Walsh children by the ‘family’ Psychiatrist known for diagnosing everyone with Bipolar Disorder. (Exhibit 20) She stopped taking the heavy medication after experiencing negative side effects but later suspected Maura Walsh was ‘slipping’ the Lithium and Seroquel into her food when the negative reactions returned. She reached out to Tara for advice in May 2017. (Exhibit 21).
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Adopted Daughter: “I think they are slipping medicine... into my food anyway... because I always am tired at night and cannot think during the day... which is all what I felt when they made me take it.”
Tara: “Oh wow since when?”
Adopted Daughter: “Seroquel at the hospital” [...]
Tara: “Ru sure it’s lithium?”
Adopted Daughter: “Yes... I saw it on the bottle...before of course mom took it”
Despite threats from Steve and Maura Walsh, the eldest adopted daughter, Mariah Walsh, recently fled the family home and moved to Savannah, GA to live with Brienne Walsh, her husband, and their two children. Brienne writes that a father of one of Mariah’s friends reached out to her, “saying he was worried about my sister and wondering if she could come and live with us. The same family also offered to help pay for [her] college bills.” (Exhibit 22)
Steve and Maura Walsh were not pleased, “Yesterday [she] told my parents that she was coming to live with me. Their response was that if she does that, she’ll be out on her own. They’ll cut off paying college tuition in the future, as well as her healthcare.” (Exhibit 22)
The Crime: Tara Walsh drugs me in the same manner her mother, Maura Walsh, secretly drugged her and her siblings.
Maura Walsh would advise her children not to have children, “given the history of mental illness in our family.” (Exhibit 23) For Tara, it was a bit different. They were concerned that her mental illness would cause her to lose custody and endanger the massive family trust. It is likely for these reasons that Tara became fixated on finding and marrying a wealthy man who she could entrap for his money but would ultimately just go away... She could be free of her parents and finally live her life financially secure.
In March 2017, after undergoing months of tests while feeling ‘not like myself,’ a toxicology test showed over 6x times the reference range for Lithium – the same heavy mood stabilizer that Tara’s sister Kiara suspected Maura Walsh was ‘slipping’ into her food. (Exhibit 25). I had never taken nor been prescribed Lithium and the doctors could not explain the results. It was the first time I suspected being drugged.
Over Tara’s subsequent pregnancy and while we lived together in San Francisco, I would repeatedly feel drugged. Emergency room tests did not show anything and doctors were dumbfounded until Evie’s nanny, Abby Tedla, caught Tara ‘slipping’ pills in my wine in May 2018. Tara has since admitted, in open court under oath, to surreptitiously drugging me with her anti-psychotic medication, Seroquel, (Exhibit 26).
A forensic psychiatrist in San Francisco recommended by Tara’s primary care physician diagnosed her with Borderline Personality Disorder, a diagnosis later confirmed by her
long-term therapist. (Exhibit 27) He suspected that Tara would require supervision with Evie for around five years, with intensive treatment, to help with her genetic mental health issues as well as the damage caused by overmedication at a young age and abuse. I was granted Emergency Custody. (Exhibit 28)
Tara rationalized drugging me while testifying at the San Francisco Domestic Restraining Order Hearing by saying, “We were living as a family. I made a family decision.” (Exhibit 29)
It was also clear that I had been targeted by Tara due to her perception of my ‘wealth.’ For example, she texted her friend just a week before moving to San Francisco, “I’m better off pretending I want to be with him and getting the most while I can – then leaving him for good... I think he will marry me... Then I can just divorce him for money.” (Exhibit 30). While in San Francisco she used Evie as leverage for marriage (Exhibit 31), then a fake pregnancy (Exhibit 32), and stole my hidden and private financial records to see ‘just how much I had.’ (Exhibit 33)
Tara’s scheme was an open secret in her family. Brienne blogged that Tara was, “scheming to get her baby daddy committed.” (Exhibit 34) Yet also casually discussed with their brother that Tara just wanted money “Yeah she called me last night to say the same thing – [she's] just with Steve to take his money and then she will leave. I get the impression that she is now planning to head back here and is greasing the skid so everyone is happy to see her.” (Exhibit 35)
Steve Walsh Arranges for Kidnapping of Evie
Tara Walsh initially attempted to flee WITHOUT Evie, fearing criminal prosecution but her father talked her into coming back home to San Francisco. (Exhibit 36)
Later she attempted to flee again, but with Evie this time and her father talked her into returning home again to San Francisco. (Exhibit 38)
At this point a Court Order prohibited Tara from leaving California with Evie. (Exhibit 39). Steve Walsh and I had been in regular contact about treatment and (Exhibit 40) he negotiated a ‘two week’ exception from the Court Order so that Evie could accompany Tara on her trip to NY. Tara would get help with her diagnosis and treatment options and Evie wouldn’t leave his sight. (Exhibit 40-41)
Unbeknownst to me, Steve Walsh had already hired a full-time nanny in Westchester, NY even though Tara had an apartment in Brooklyn pre-paid for the next six months and I was in San Francisco. (Exhibit 42). He later admitted in a sworn deposition that he never attempted to abide the court order.
When asked why he didn’t fly to San Francisco considering the severity of the situation he replied, “It’s a six hour flight and that is not something someone just does.” (Exhibit 44) In reality, he understood that Tara wasn’t able to care of Evie on her own and wanted to be Evie’s guardian. Meanwhile, I have spent months in Westchester and flown across the country dozens of times for my daughter.
Since arriving in Westchester Tara has complained of abuse, but has been silenced each time.
- “No they love Evie so much – my Mom doesn’t ever want her to leave. But I seriously cannot stand living here... It really hasn’t been that bad – it only gets bad when I say I want to leave” - Tara texts Linda Russell, June 2018 (Exhibit 46)
- “It’s honestly horrible living here – it's not healthy” - Tara texts Steve Russell, June 2018 (Exhibit 47-48)
- In July 2018, Tara sent a text to Linda Russell stating, “Steve sent an agreement today I could move back to Brooklyn. I told my family and now they have all joined up to say they will take legal action”
Tara, the court-appointed supervisor, and I all reported suspicious bruises on Evie. (Exhibit 49). When the Walsh’s were asked about it, Tara changed her story and stated the bruises were normal, (Exhibit 50) she followed-up with an odd letter through her attorney stating that there were no bruises and no history of abuse at the Walsh household. Instead claiming that my following-up on the bruises that she, I, and the supervisor noted as suspicious, was harassment of her. (Exhibit 50). Visits were stopped.
Steve and Maura Walsh Are Instrumental in the Alienation of Evie from her Father
Tara continues to show single-mindedness about moving out of her parents’ home. For example, on November 12, 2020 Tara and her friend, Jesse Ozeri, proposed to me that Tara, “want[ed] to move out of the Walsh house immediately.” Specifically, she dangled my unrestricted access to Evie in exchange for my “help” leaving her parents’ compound, which included that I buy Tara a home for her and Evie in Westchester or Greenwich, Connecticut. In return, Tara would allow me to begin visitation with Evie in their new home, that I bought them, as often as I wanted. In other words, Tara tried to extort me to buy her new home if I wanted unlimited access to my daughter. Tara’s attempt to leverage me could not have been clearer when she messaged me: “Sooner you get the house for Evie the sooner visits can start.” (Exhibit 60)
Earlier this year, after I refused to go along with Tara’s pressure tactics, Tara filed an emergency support motion and made it clear she needed funds to move out of her parents’ estate ASAP. It was granted. Months later, however, we learned, and it is undisputed, that Tara is still living there. Thus, it was all a ruse.
Steve and Maura Walsh have been active participants in denying my relationship with my daughter, yet to the court they act as if they are not involved. However, that claim is belied by their words and actions. Steve Walsh became the gatekeeper for Evie as soon as she arrived at his compound. He immediately stopped facilitating communication once concerns about the allegations of abuse against his adopted daughters was brought to light. On August 7, 2018, I texted Steve Walsh: “Following up again on getting to see Evie. I’ve still received no photos, FaceTime, or other interactions as promised.” Steve Walsh responded: “You are apparently trying now to involve my youngest daughter which has crossed a huge line with me - I will have a very tough time communicating [with you].” Steve Walsh followed through on this threat as evidenced by his subsequent actions.
For example, on August 20, 2018 I flew from San Francisco to Westchester to visit Evie based on a visitation agreement arranged between the attorneys. Two days later Audrey Courson, Tara’s attorney in San Francisco, sent a message that I should email Maura Walsh to schedule my visit. I did not receive a response from Maura, but instead Steve Walsh sent an email to my attorney stating, “Please direct all inquiries to me and this email... I respect your client’s right to see his child but [I] also need to be assured of Evie’s safety.” On August 25, 2018, I returned to San Francisco without having seen my daughter. Again, two days later, Tara stated through her attorney, Audrey Courson, that she “wants to leave her parents out of this moving forward.”
Maura Walsh aided her husband’s effort to keep me from seeing Evie. On March 28, 2019, she took Evie to the doctor and claimed she was having terrible diarrhea 5x per day, but her doctor found no signs of diarrhea, fever, poor mood, or dehydration. The doctor diagnosed a possible intestinal infection in the absence of any measurable symptoms based solely on the statement of Maura Walsh. Now knowing Maura Walsh’s history of medical child abuse this is more concerning.
In March 2019, the Walshes refused to explicitly confirm my visits with Evie placing me in a precarious position that they exploited. I was required by court order to advise the Walshes when I intended to visit Evie, with a visitation supervisor. On March 23 after being notified of my visit, Mr. Walsh followed me in his car from where I was staying at the Crabtree Kittle House and confronted me as soon as I pulled into the Walsh driveway, which was the designated pickup location for Evie. The visitation supervisor described the incident:
Once [Mr. Russell] and [the supervisor] arrived at the driveway gate, [Mr. Russell] texted to inform the family that [they] arrived. However, while [Mr. Russell] was texting, a car pulled into the driveway behind [them] and a gentleman who [Mr. Russell] identified as the maternal grandfather got out of his car. The maternal grandfather came to [Mr. Russell’s] truck’s window and angrily asked him to move so he could get in the driveway. [Mr. Russell] calmly asked the maternal grandfather if someone is bringing Evelyn outside. The maternal grandfather stated that they did not get to meet anyone in reference to [the supervisor]. [Mr. Russell] again asked the maternal grandfather if anyone would be bringing Evelyn outside and the maternal grandfather stated that the visit is not happening. [Mr. Russell] stated that the attorneys agreed [to the visit] and the maternal grandfather told [Mr. Russell] to check his email. [Mr. Russell] once again asked if someone could bring Evelyn outside and the maternal grandfather again stated that the visit is not happening. (Exhibit 56)
Steve Walsh denied any incident when the police called him that evening. The police report states, “I spoke with Steve Walsh who denies following Russell and states that if he had pulled in behind him it was only by chance. I advised him that if he was following Russell to stop immediately.” (Exhibit 57).
On 3/27/2019 Tara retaliated by filing an order of protection against me based on the incident at which she was not even present and yet wrote about it in the first person as if she was present. Her statement contradicts the court-appointed supervisor’s account, Steve Russell’s statement to police, and even Steve Walsh’s statement to police where he denied any incident having occurred.
On 3/31/19, Steve Walsh again followed me and purposefully waited until he thought there were no witnesses present before confronting me. Fortunately, Evie’s nanny was present and witnessed the incident. Again, I filed a police report. According to the nanny:
At the drop off of Evie I witnessed Steve Walsh pull up at the top of the driveway after the supervisor headed toward the house with Evie, so the supervisor was not there to see this. Steve Walsh exited his car and had a rude attitude toward Steve and proceeded to say that he was “bringing his kids back home from school” on Sunday March 31st at approximately 5:30. Steve Russell did not respond and simply sat in the car to wait for the supervisor to return. Once the supervisor returned she asked if that was Tara’s father behind us and Steve Russell confirmed and we drove off the property. Steve Russell remained calm throughout the entire interaction with Steve Walsh. (Exhibit 58)
More recently, Steve Walsh sent an email to my attorney claiming that Evie suffered hives as a result of stress during her visit with my mother, effectively stopping the visits. There was no doctor’s note or opinion on the matter. Linda actually gets a similar rash on her cheeks as well after eating strawberries and had contacted Tara to check about applying a topical over-the-counter cream that helps the itching. This was yet another
Walsh family tactic to prevent me and my family from visiting Evie.
Physical and Emotional Abuse
In February 2019, Yoanny Lora, a court-appointed supervisor from Comprehensive Family Services (CFS), noted that Evie would cry when someone from the Walsh household would come to the car to pick Evie up after a visit. Consequently, Ms. Lora asked Tara to keep everyone in the home to reduce her stress upon Evie’s return to the Walsh household.
During a supervised visit between me and Evie on March 31, 2019, Evie arrived for the visitation with two sets of odd bruises. The first was a deep pinch mark bruise on her left leg under the band of her diaper. The second was a 3 to 4-inch series of symmetrical strike marks on her shin. These bruises were immediately noticed by me, as well as the court appointed supervisor, Franceska Anilus, and a nanny, Talia Kleinman, both of whom were present at the visit. Ms. Anilus prepared a report of the visit the same day and described the bruises that she saw in a confidential report prepared for the court. Ms. Anilus explained that while she was changing Evie’s diaper during a supervised visit on March 31, 2019, she observed that Evie had two black bruises on her body. One was about 3-4 inches in length and about half an inch in width on her left shin and the other was small, circular and about an inch in diameter on her upper left thigh. (Exhibit 59)
Similarly, the nanny, Ms. Kleiman, who was present during the visit, witnessed the bruises on Evie’s body. According to Ms. Kleiman:
On March 31st I acted as Nanny again and that day I observed a bruise on Evie’s left shin as Steve was changing her diaper. The day before I did not see a bruise as he changed her but on March 31st it was very visible. The Supervisor made a note of it and said she had to make a report for it. Steve mentioned he would follow-up and give her a bath the next time to check for any other areas. (Exhibit 52)
I reported the bruises to Attorney for the Child (“AFC”), Jennifer Jackman, that same day as well as to my attorneys. (Exhibit 53). Importantly, Ms. Walsh also apparently noted the bruises that day, and independently contacted Ms. Jackman to express concerns about them— which were substantial enough that she, as the primary custodial parent, felt the need to contact the AFC.
Ten days later, on April 9, 2019, after learning that both parents had concerns about Evie’s bruises but that the AFC had not followed up, I went to the Chappaqua Police Department and filed a report. (See email exchange between me and Jennifer
Jackman, discussing my police report at Exhibit 54). When the police visited the Walsh household that evening, however, Ms. Walsh, in the presence of her parents, stated that the bruises were normal, even though she had complained about them with concern days before to the AFC. The next day, Ms. Walsh’s attorney astoundingly wrote a letter to the court contradicting Ms. Walsh’s previous statements to the AFC and police, instead stating that there were no bruises at all and that there was no history of abuse at the Walsh household, even though two witnesses in addition to me observed the bruises on Evie. (Exhibit 55). It would be one thing for Ms. Walsh’s attorney to deny that the bruises were caused by abusive conduct of his client, but to deny their existence outright, when they had been witnessed by multiple individuals, including Ms. Walsh herself, smacks of consciousness of guilt.
All of my visitations had been fully supervised at that point so there was no possibility that the bruises were caused by me. On the other hand, the Walsh family, with its long history of physical abuse, and who are presently Evie’s sole, unsupervised custodians, must have necessarily inflicted the bruises.
Additionally, and most recently, Steve and Maura Walsh have at every turn attempted to obstruct my and Grandma Linda’s visitation with Evie through repeated denial of visits, making false statements to Evie to deliberately alienate me from my daughter, and making false representations regarding visitation to this Court. Most recently, Steve Walsh manufactured false representations to the Court that Evie had hives in response to stress due to visits with Evie’s grandmother Linda. However, Linda— who has prior medical training as a licensed nurse— confirmed that Evie had an adverse reaction to strawberries that the Walshes themselves had packed for her. Notably, when asked for additional details on my daughter’s symptoms, the Walshes could not provide any support for their false claims. This is just another example of the pattern of lies and abuse by the Walsh family.
Conclusion
To put it plainly, I fear that my daughter is in imminent danger. Her sole custodians, the Walsh family, have a long, sordid history of abuse and dysfunction. Ms. Walsh suffers from serious mental illness and relies significantly on her family’s assistance for childcare. However, her family is not capable of providing a safe, healthy environment for Evie. Ms. Walsh and Evie were mandated to her parents’ home for the apparent support network she would have there. But it is now painfully evident that the Walsh residence is too volatile and dangerous to leave Evie in without outside supervision. Evidence of abuse and neglect comes directly from Walsh family members themselves and should therefore be believed.
The Court was plainly lied to in order to obfuscate the Walshes abusive and dysfunctional living arrangement. I recently learned that Tara was still living at her parents’ home despite having asked for and been granted by the support court, a large sum to move out. This is despite the fact that:
a) Judge Horowitz ordered Tara to keep me informed about Evie, including where she was living. As soon as Judge Horowitz recused herself, Tara went to the court and used the TOP granted on default, and on false accusations, (after the 3/31/19 incident where her father followed me) as grounds to keep her address confidential.
b) Tara filed an emergency support motion and made it clear to Judge Furman that she needed funds to move out of her parents’ home, which was granted.
c) Tara told Linda Russell that she had moved, even though Tara recently told the court that she is still living with her parents. Steve and Maura Walsh confirmed that in their recent depositions.
The Walsh family has made allegation after allegation against me and none have been proven or even followed-up on. Meanwhile Steve and Maura Walsh have been sued in the past for custody of their children over allegations of abuse, two of their children have fled their home, sworn testimony from Tara’s sibling confirmed her childhood was abusive, and they are actively alienating me from my daughter.
WHEREFORE, I respectfully request that the Court:
- d) immediately remove Evie from the Walsh household and place Evie with Linda Russell, Evie’s paternal grandmother, who can oversee and facilitate visits with Tara;
- e) order prohibiting Evie’s maternal grandparents from all unsupervised contact with Evie until CPS can conduct a review of the abuse allegations, including access to Tara’s previous emancipation case.
- f) order the release of Evie’s medical records and for a doctor to check on her rash / allergies;
- g) schedule an immediate trial of the issues raised in this case.
Dated: August 26, 2021
Stephen Grant Russell
Exhibit 1
“I don’t know if my sister was filing for emancipation for my -- herself or if she was –- my aunts were going to custody over her. You would have to ask her... Or you could call the court documents.”
- Brienne Walsh (Tara’s sister), SF Civil Deposition, 9/28/20
Exhibit 2
“I have never attempted or made application to be emancipated.”
-Tara Walsh Westchester Affidavit, 11/14/18
Exhibit 3
“I went through a family court fight myself when I was 16.”
-Tara Walsh texts Linda Russell, paternal grandmother, 6/5/18
Exhibit 4
"Let me tell you — it was fucking awful. I don’t think one of my brothers has ever recovered from it, or forgiven me. Our house was dead for ten years after."
-Brienne Walsh on Tara’s emancipation case. Excerpted from the 8/27/2018 blog post titled, “Someone Wants to Sue Me Over this Blog” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 5
"Yes, I would.”
-Brienne Walsh replies to the question on whether her childhood was abusive in her 9/28/20 deposition.
Exhibit 6
“If I told my Mom I was angry at her, she sometimes punched me, she sometimes stopped feeding me...
“I had an abusive childhood, and abusive situations are what I crave.”
-Excerpted from 8/20/19 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “All My Life, I’ve Wanted Unconditional Love” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 7
"Mom punished us both for being strong willed. We were hit. When I’m angry how do I diffuse the anger as far away as possible from Cleo? How do I protect her?”
-Excerpted from 1/21/18 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “Another Uncomfortably Candid Post About Pregnancy” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 8
“But I grew up with the fear of alcoholism instilled in my heart by my mother, who gave me a shot of whiskey when I was 8- years-old and said to me, “Isn’t that disgusting? You know you’re an alcoholic, right?” It was her belief that given my genetic make-up, even at that young age, the diagnosis was unavoidable.”
-Excerpted from 2/15/13 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “On Money by Martin Amis and Why I Think You’re An Alcoholic” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 9 :
“Modifying my behavior to keep the abusive situation at home under control, which meant trying to make my mother happy. I never talk about my childhood being "abusive," which it was.”
-Excerpted from 9/11/14 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “You Look Like A Drag Queen Crying: On Losing It At My Sister’s Birthday Party” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 10
"I peed the bed until I was 16, and part of the reason for that was that if I couldn't fall asleep at night, my father used to make me go sit at the kitchen table so that I wouldn't keep on waking him up"
-Excerpted from 7/16/19 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “Read Here For Tips On How To Do Potty Training In 3 Hours With No Accidents, Guaranteed, Promise”
Exhibit 11
"Because sometimes I do lose my temper, I act lesser than, I let my worst self get the best of me, I can also be a fucking asshole... Every day, I struggle to suppress this part of myself, the part of myself I get from my dad."
-Excerpted from 6/4/19 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “These Pictures Tell A Lie, I Am A Very Flawed Mother”
Exhibit 12
"Last night, I received a huge package from my dad... My parents have not spoken to me in over a year... I knew that it was not a gift, but instead, some sort of emotional bomb. Caleb opened it for me. ‘It’s your wedding dress,’ he said... I never learned that I was enough... Caleb was waiting at the door with the kids."
-Excerpted from 6/18/21 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “Motherhood Doesn't Get Any Easier, But It Gets Less Dark” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn
Exhibit 13
"I don't want to be an abusive parent. I don’t want to be a screamer, or a hitter. I don’t want Cleo to have an eating disorder, or a complex, or be medicated from the time she can pee in an adult toilet."
-Excerpted from 6/17/19 blog post by Brienne Walsh titled, “15-Year-Olds Don’t Care About My Issues” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn
Exhibit 14
“No therapist has ever been able to heal this sadness I feel over the fucked up things that have happened in my family.”
-Brienne Walsh on Tara’s emancipation case. Excerpted from the 8/27/2018 blog post titled, “Someone Wants to Sue Me Over this Blog” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 15
"I think of the images I post on my own Instagram. In the pool with my big, good- looking family. On our big family estate. And I think how those images lie so hard."
-Brienne Walsh on Tara’s emancipation case. Excerpted from the 8/27/2018 blog post titled, “Someone Wants to Sue Me Over this Blog” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 16
-The Walsh family adopted two daughters from Korea. They are three years apart and not biologically related to each other. They were forced to dress alike, even as high school teenagers. All photos are from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn,” however is it a source of gossip in Chappaqua.
- Top Left: Spring 2016
- Top Right: September 2016
- Bottom Photos: Undated
Exhibit 17
“They are not genetically the same as me, but their reactions to the abuse were identical.”
-Brienne Walsh on Tara’s emancipation case. Excerpted from the 6/29/20 blog post titled, “If You Treat A Living Thing Right, It Will Live For You” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 18
“I can’t help but think my mom gave bpd (Borderline Personality Disorder) to 4/6 of us.”
-Tara Walsh texts Steve Russell, June 2018
Exhibit 19
“It’s honestly horrible living here – it's not healthy living here. I feel so sorry for my sisters. And they get into physical fights and stuff with my parents.”
-Tara Walsh texts Steve Russell, June 2018
Exhibit 20
“His one-sided analysis of Bipolar as the consistent and only possible disorder begs the onset of Beyes Theorem. If you look for only Bipolar, then you will be met with answers reinforcing your thought pattern. ”
Exhibit 21
“I think thought they are slipping medicine... into my food anyway... because I always am tired at night and cannot think during the day... which is all what I felt when they made me take it.”
-Kiara Walsh, Tara’s sister, asks Tara’s advice after suspecting their mother was ‘slipping’ Lithium and Seroquel into her food. The same medications Steve Russell was surreptitiously drugged with.
Exhibit 22
“Yesterday [she] told my parents that she was coming to live with me. Their response was that if she does that, she’ll be out on her own. They’ll cut off paying college tuition in the future, as well as her healthcare.”
“He was worried about my sister and wondering if she could come and live with us. The same family also offered to help pay for [her] college bills.”
-Excerpted from the 12/17/20 blog post titled, “The Victim Routine Is One I’m Very Familiar With” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 23
“Are you sure you want to have children given the history of mental illness in our family?”
- Excerpted from the 4/24/19 blog post titled, “Is Your Child a Piece of Work? Come out of the Woodwork” from “A Brie Grows in Brooklyn”
Exhibit 25
"Much higher doses of Li carbonate are often prescribed for specific mood
disorders, would be expected to be associated with markedly elevated urine Li if
ingestion was recent or chronic.”
- Explanation for Steve’s Lithium test result which was 6.1x the normal reference range.
Exhibit 26
Tara Walsh admits in open court to surreptitiously drugging Steve Russell with her anti-psychotic medication, Seroquel.
Exhibit 27
"Importantly, due to her childhood history, Tara experiences abandonment anxiety that is triggered when she perceives abandonment.”
“Tara began seeing Dr. Gopal for treatment for Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorder.”
- Rita Mercante, Tara’s long-term therapist, confirms Tara’s Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis in a letter to the court, attributes it to childhood history.
Exhibit 28
Exhibit 29
"We were a family. I made a decision as a family.”
- Tara Walsh testifies in defense of her drugging Steve Russell with the anti-psychotic, Seroquel at the 10/31/2019 San Francisco Domestic Violence Restraining Order.
Exhibit 30
“I’m better off pretending I want to be with him and getting the most while I can – then leaving him for good... I think he will marry me... Then I can just divorce him for money.”
- Tara Walsh texts her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Matan Gavish, less than two weeks before moving to San Francisco with Evie.
Exhibit 31
“I wouldn’t need to beg you to marry me like a pathetic person. I want to marry you bc of her – I want to give her the best shot at life. Bc loving each other and being together will bring her happiness.”
- Tara attempts to guilt Steve Russell into marrying her on May 15, 2018
Exhibit 32
"I’m also probably depressed bc I am pregnant... I give you a beautiful child and
you could have another.”
- Tara texts Steve Russell on May 15, 2018 two days before texting her friend, Rashmi Narendra, “I think he knows I’m not actually pregnant.”
Exhibit 33
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- Tara Walsh finds Steve Russell’s hidden and private financial statements and emails them to herself, without any
security. Here is one of two emails recovered. Documents included stock, personal insurance, bank account statements, broker statements, and tax returns.
Exhibit 34
"I also love people who, on an average day vacillate between... scheming on ways to get their baby daddy committed to a mental institution.
- Brienne Walsh blogs about Tara Walsh in a now deleted post from September 2018.
Exhibit 35
"Yeah she called me last night and said the same thing – just with Steve to take his money and then she will leave. I get the impression that she is now planning to head back here and is greasing the skid so everyone is happy to see her.”
- Email between Tara’s siblings, Brienne and Brendan, shortly before her return to NY in 2018.
Exhibit 36
"You almost made me leave my daughter”
- Tara Walsh, texts Steve Russell, that he ‘made’ her leave Evie after she started to flee San Francisco for fear of criminal repercussions after her crimes against Steve.
Exhibit 38
"She is cancelling the flight and returning – I will be in touch... She told me she’s back at the apartment – is that not the case?”
- Steve Walsh confirms that Tara has safely returned to the apartment with Evie after she disappeared without a word to anyone. Steve Russell and Steve Walsh had been in contact about the best treatment options for Tara.
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Exhibit 39
San Francisco Court Order Prevented Tara from leaving the state with Evie.
Exhibit 40
"Excellent. Thank you Steve, we appreciate your assistance and understanding. And thank you for the timely updates.”
- Steve Walsh thanks Steve Russell for keeping him informed on Tara’s treatment updates.
Exhibit 41
"Steve – I'm very happy to hear she’ll be coming to visit.”
- Steve Walsh understands the court order and confirms he is excited for Evie to come for a visit.
Exhibit 42
Steve Walsh hired a nanny for Evie in Chappaqua, NY knowing that a San Francisco Court Order prevented her from leaving the state.
- SF Civil Discovery WALSH_003434 - 003440
Exhibit 44
"Or fly out here and talk/meet with everyone before deciding to help her back to NY if that ends up being what is best.”
- Steve Russell asks Steve Walsh to come visit San Francisco and help figure out the best path forward getting Tara help on June 4, 2018.
Exhibit 46
“No they love Evie so much – my Mom doesn’t ever want her to leave. But I seriously cannot stand living here... It really hasn’t been that bad – it only gets bad when I say I want to leave”
- Tara texts Linda Russell, paternal grandmother, from her parents’ Chappaqua estate in June 2018
Exhibit 47
"My whole family just wants me to be close, but living with my parents is honestly not good for my mental health. You know the background very well.”
- Tara texts Steve Russell from her parents’ Chappaqua estate in June 2018
Exhibit 48
“It’s honestly horrible living here – it's not healthy.”
-Tara Walsh texts Steve Russell, June 2018
Exhibit 49
"I advised you that Tara reported to me that Evie returned from a visit with her father on Sunday, March 31 with a big bruise on her shin"
- From 4/6/19 email from Jennifer Jackman to Steve Russell regarding Evie’s bruises.
Exhibit 50
"[I] will address any concerns that I may have directly with the court... Also, please be advised that I will be filing a motion tomorrow to hold you in contempt for failure to comply with the order directing payment of my fees.”
- Jennifer Jackman, AFC, advises Steve Russell that he is late on his bill while after he reported the bruises to the appropriate authorities.
Exhibit 51
"[I] will address any concerns that I may have directly with the court... Also, please be advised that I will be filing a motion tomorrow to hold you in contempt for failure to comply with the order directing payment of my fees.”
- Jennifer Jackman, AFC, advises Steve Russell that he is late on his bill while after he reported the bruises to the appropriate authorities.
Exhibit 52
Exhibit 53
Exhibit 54
Exhibit 55
Exhibit 56
Exhibit 57 Excerpt from police report filed by Steve Russell regarding the 3/23/18 incident
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Exhibit 58
Exhibit 59
Exhibit 60