Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Reality TV star Bethenny Frankel‘s ex-husband questioned her “parental judgment” in the wake of the suspected drug overdose death of her boyfriend Dennis Shields — and even suggested at a custody hearing Thursday that she may have her own substance abuse problems. “It was reported that he died of an Oxycodone overdose. Our concern is while his death is very sad this raises serious concerns about Ms. Frankel’s parental judgment,” said Robert Wallack, attorney for Jason Hoppy. Hoppy and Frankel divorced in 2016 and shared parenting time with their 8-year-old daughter Bryn. But Frankel has recently asked the judge for full custody of Bryn after Hoppy was charged with stalking his ex-wife. Wallack told Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz that “Dennis Shields spent a great deal of time with Bryn and even cared for Bryn at times when Ms. Frankel wasn’t around.” “Considering Mr. Shields’ addiction what does that say about Ms. Frankel’s parenting that she would allow this person to care for her daughter? This doesn’t just constitute a lapse in judgment this was just downright dangerous parenting,” Wallack said. Meanwhile, Frankel’s eyes welled up with tears as she sat just a few feet away from her ex in the courtroom. Then Wallack referenced the “Holidazed and Confused” episode of Frankel’s Bravo show, “The Real Housewives of New York” that aired on May 30. “There was a recent episode in which she appeared to be intoxicated,” Wallack told the judge. “She was running around without clothes on and then she passed out and it was said she passed out from mixing Ambien with alcohol. Our concerns are whether Ms. Frankel may have some type of substance abuse problems so we would ask the court to order drug testing of Ms. Frankel to find out whether that’s an issue,” Wallack said. The judge was skeptical of the claims noting that Hoppy had previously said he wanted to continue sharing custody of Bryn with Frankel. “Now you’re throwing grenades across the table,” Judge Katz said. Still, he set a hearing to determine custody for the mid-March. Frankel, dressed in black, was wearing a large diamond ring on her right finger. It’s been reported that it may have been an engagement ring from Shields, her longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend. Shields, 51, was found dead last week in his Trump Tower apartment. Sources said he lost consciousness after asking his assistant to administer Narcan– an emergency antidote used to reverse an opioid overdose.<doc-sep>Bethenny Frankel is sharing her pain following the tragic death of her on-again, off-again boyfriend Dennis Shields. “It’s hard to breathe & I appreciate you giving me the space & support to try to do so,” the Real Housewives of New York City star wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning. “It’s excruciating -- sudden death is no closure & constant [questions] & memories. Our relationship is current so it’s painfully raw. Trying to stay healthy & move through it w tears & close friends. Xo.” Shields, a financier, was discovered unconscious and unresponsive in his apartment in Trump Tower in NYC on Aug. 10. Emergency personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene. The cause of death has not been disclosed. A few days later, his funeral was held in Long Island. Soon after, the 47-year-old reality star took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of Shields lying comfortably in bed beside Cookie, Frankel’s dog, who died in Oct. 2017. It’s hard to breathe & I appreciate you giving me the space & support to try to do so. It’s excruciating-sudden death is no closure & constant ?s & memories. Our relationship is current so it’s painfully raw. Trying to stay healthy & move through it w tears & close friends. Xo — Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) August 26, 2018 "Rest In Peace my sweet babies who gave me endless unconditional love. #nowandforever," she captioned the photo. ET later learned that Shields had asked for her hand in marriage mere months before his death. “She wanted to marry him, but there was some things that needed to be worked out first and some hurdles to overcome,” a source told ET. "He was her family, her best friend, her partner.” Get more news on Frankel in the clip below. RELATED CONTENT: Bethenny Frankel's On-Off Boyfriend Dennis Shields Found Dead of Suspected Overdose This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. If you are using ad-blocking software, please disable it and reload the page. Bethenny Frankel Thanks Fans For Support After Death of On-Off Boyfriend Dennis Shields Bethenny Frankel Posts About On-Off Boyfriend Dennis Shields' Death on Day of His Funeral Andy Cohen Says The Women are 'Gunning' for Bethenny Frankel in 'RHONY' Reunion (Exclusive) Related Gallery<doc-sep>Bethenny Frankel's ex Jason Hoppy was spotted running errands solo in New York on Wednesday. The sighting comes just a few days after his famous former partner spoke out about her grief at her boyfriend Dennis Shield's 'excruciating sudden' death. Hoppy appeared carefree as he ditched his flip flops and walked barefoot in the New York sunshine. relaxed: Bethenny Frankel's ex Jason Hoppy was spotted running errands solo in New York on Wednesday, ditching his flip clops to walk barefoot in the Big Apple The 47-year-old sported a full beard and a tan. He carried a large canvas shopping bag and was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and pale blue denim shorts. Hoppy is locked in a bitter custody battle with The Real Housewives Of New York star over their eight-year-old daughter Bryn. And earlier this month, during a court hearing, he questioned her ability to parent after the death of her rumored fiance Shields, 51, who died August 10 from a suspected opioid overdose. Casual: The 47-year-old, who sported a full beard and a tan, carried a large canvas shopping bag and was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and pale blue denim shorts Cool: The sighting comes just days after his famous ex broke her silence about the 'sudden excruciating' death of her rumored fiance Dennis Shields who passed away August 10 Hoppy's lawyers went on to suggest at the August 16 hearing that the reality star herself may have an alcohol problem by pointing to recently aired footage of her on the Bravo show where she is inebriated. Frankel's former husband is seeking joint custody of their daughter while the Skinnygirl mogul is asking for full custody. The judge in their case has scheduled a hearing but encouraged both sides to try to reach an agreement themselves. Frankel and Hoppy were married for less than three years when they parted ways in 2013. They remained legally married until 2016 and their split has been remarkably acrimonious. Hoppy was charged with stalking and harassment in 2017 after bombarding his famous ex with abuse on a 'daily basis' for years. Court proceedings: Hoppy is locked in a bitter custody battle with The Real Housewives Of New York star over their eight-year-old daughter Bryn, pictured separately with her parents Acrimonious divorce: The couple, pictured after their wedding in 2010, were married for less than three years when they parted ways. However, they remained legally married until 2016 On Sunday, Frankel, 47, broke her silence about the loss of Shields who, it's been reported, had proposed to her shortly before his death, presenting her with a diamond engagement ring. She tweeted to her fans: 'It's hard to breathe & I appreciate you giving me the space & support to try to do so... It's excruciating - sudden death is no closure & constant & memories. Our relationship is current so it's painfully raw. Trying to stay healthy & move through it w tears & close friends.' A source previously told Us Weekly that the RHONY star is 'absolutely devasted. 'She lost her best friend, her partner, her business partner, the source said. 'He's family. His family is her family. They've known each other over 30 years.' Shields left behind four children with his estranged wife Jill Schwartzberg. On Wednesday, it was reported that his cause of death had been ruled 'undetermined' by the New York Medical Examiner after no autopsy was performed due to religious objections. On Sunday, Frankel, 47, broke her silence about the loss of Shields who, it's been reported, had proposed to her shortly before his death, presenting her with a diamond engagement ring Grieving: She tweeted: 'I appreciate you giving me the space & support to try to do so. It's excruciating - sudden death is no closure & constant & memories'<doc-sep>Bethenny Frankel’s ex-husband Jason Hoppy has expressed concern about the reported cause of Dennis Shields' death — but will it influence the judge’s decision? Amid their protracted custody battle, Bethenny Frankel‘s ex-husband Jason Hoppy has expressed concern about the reported cause of death of the Real Housewives of New York City star’s on-off boyfriend Dennis Shields — but will it influence the judge’s decision? At a previously scheduled hearing on Thursday, Hoppy’s attorney Robert Wallack referenced reports that the New York banker — who was found dead in his Trump Tower apartment last week at the age of 51 — died of an apparent overdose. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “Dennis Shields spent a great deal of time with Bryn and even cared for Bryn at times when Ms. Frankel wasn’t around. Considering Mr. Shields’ addiction, what does that say about Ms. Frankel’s parenting that she would allow this person to care for her daughter?” Wallack said, according to Page Six. “This doesn’t just constitute a lapse in judgment, this was just downright dangerous parenting.” While Frankel is asking for primary custody and full decision-making power over 8-year-old daughter Bryn, Hoppy has expressed his desire to keep the current joint custody arrangement the same. Amanda L.F. Harris, a lawyer at Eiges & Orgel Divorce and Family Law tells PEOPLE that because Shields wasn’t living with Frankel and her daughter before his death and because he allegedly “overdosed on prescription medication for back pain, Jason would have to demonstrate that Bethenny knowingly exposed her daughter to someone who was actively using a substance prescribed or otherwise illegally [acquired] essentially.” She went on to explain that Hoppy would have to prove, “1. That the child had been exposed. 2. That the boyfriend was using drugs in the presence of the child. [and] 3. That the child’s safety at any point was an issue.” “If Jason was able to show any of that with Dennis Shields it could potentially impact custody, but it’s a lot to show,” she adds. 3way Jason Hoppy, Bethenny Frankel and Dennis Shields | Credit: Raymond Hall/FilmMagic; Robert Kamau/GC Images; Alessio Botticelli/GC Images However, Kenneth Eiges, an attorney specializing in family law, says that Shield’s interaction with the 8-year-old girl is something “a judge would not look very kindly on.” “I would just say that it’s a factor that the court would have to consider,” he continues, adding that the decision would also be affected by the level of Shield’s involvement in the child’s life. “Was he babysitting? Were all three of them together? When did he take the drugs? It’s really an issue that will affect it and any lawyer who is involved in the case the first thing they would say is, ‘hey, she’s bringing a drug addict into the life of the child,’ whether it’s true or not I don’t know,” he remarks. “But that would be the first thing someone would set the tone of the hearing with,” he adds. “It’s a factor and would not be looked at kindly.” Page Six previously reported that the judge was “skeptical” of Hoppy’s argument, given that he had already expressed his desire to continue sharing custody. He said Hoppy was “throwing grenades” in the proceedings and set a March court date for Frankel’s requests. RELATED VIDEO: Bethenny Frankel Says She ‘Never Knows Exactly’ Where Relationship Stands with On-Again, Off-Again Boyfriend Frankel and Hoppy, both 47, have been fighting over custody of Bryn for years. After a whirlwind romance, the Skinnygirl mogul learned she was pregnant, and they got married in a lavish televised wedding in 2010, welcoming their baby girl shortly after. Then, things turned ugly. They separated in December 2012, and their protracted divorce was finalized in July 2016, though they’ve been stuck in messy court proceedings; she accused him of stalking and harassing her just last year. BETHENNY FRANKEL AND JASON HOPPY CUDDLING AT THE LAKERS GAME Jason Hoppy and Bethenny Frankel | Credit: Philip Ramey/Corbis/Getty Though they met almost 30 years ago, Frankel and Shields began dating on and off in 2016 — and as PEOPLE exclusively reported, Shields even proposed to her in April. After losing him, Frankel is “devastated,” a friend told PEOPLE, explaining that she leaned on him throughout her seemingly never-ending divorce. “She loved him. He was her family and Bryn’s family. Bryn loved him. Dennis was Bethenny’s partner, her family, her business partner and her best friend,” the friend said.<doc-sep>
Bethenny Frankel's ex-husband has brought the death of Dennis Shields into their contentious custody battle over 8-year-old daughter Bryn Bethenny Frankel‘s ex-husband has brought the death of her on-off boyfriend Dennis Shields into their contentious custody battle over 8-year-old daughter Bryn. At a previously scheduled hearing Thursday, the Real Housewives of New York City star asked for primary custody and full decision-making power. Jason Hoppy, however, expressed his desire to keep the current joint custody arrangement the same. After the judge set a date for a trial on Frankel’s request, Hoppy’s attorney Robert Wallack referenced reports that the New York banker died of an apparent overdose. (Shields was found dead in his Trump Tower apartment Friday at the age of 51. The toxicology report has not yet been released.) “Our concern is while his death is very sad this raises serious concerns about Ms. Frankel’s parental judgment,” Wallack said, according to Page Six. “Dennis Shields spent a great deal of time with Bryn and even cared for Bryn at times when Ms. Frankel wasn’t around. Considering Mr. Shields’ addiction what does that say about Ms. Frankel’s parenting that she would allow this person to care for her daughter? This doesn’t just constitute a lapse in judgment this was just downright dangerous parenting.” Page Six reports that Frankel teared up during the hearing, and that Hoppy’s lawyer requested that she be tested for drugs. The judge was reportedly “skeptical” of this argument given Hoppy had already expressed his desire to continue sharing custody. He said Hoppy was “throwing grenades” in the proceedings and set a March court date for Frankel’s requests. Bethenny Getting Married? Jason Hoppy and Bethenny Frankel | Credit: Andrei Jackamets/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Frankel and Hoppy, both 47, have been fighting over custody of Brynn for years. After a whirlwind romance, the Skinnygirl mogul learned she was pregnant, and they got married in a lavish televised wedding in 2010, welcoming their baby girl shortly after. Then, things turned ugly. They separated in December 2012, and their protracted divorce was finalized in July 2016, though they’ve been stuck in messy court proceedings; she accused him of stalking and harassing her just last year. Though they met almost 30 years ago, Frankel and Shields began dating on and off in 2016. BuzzFoto Celebrity Sightings In New York - December 08, 2016 Bethenny Frankel and Dennis Shields | Credit: Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto via Getty After losing him, Frankel is “devastated,” friend told PEOPLE, explaining that she leaned on him throughout her seemingly never-ending divorce. “She loved him. He was her family and Bryn’s family. Bryn loved him. Dennis was Bethenny’s partner, her family, her business partner and her best friend,” the friend said. As PEOPLE exclusively reported, Shields even proposed to her in April.