DeAnna Pappas Breaks Silence on Arrest, Addresses Abuse Allegations Following Altercation with Ex-Husband
Los Angeles, April 4, 2025 – DeAnna Pappas, the former Bachelorette star from Season 4, has finally spoken out after her arrest in February, shedding light on the incident with ex-husband Stephen Stagliano that led to a swirl of domestic violence claims and counterclaims. In a statement shared via Instagram Stories on Thursday, April 3, Pappas clarified her legal status, denied being the aggressor, and emphasized her focus on protecting her children—Addison, 11, and Austin, 9—amid a contentious divorce finalized in June 2024.
A Custody Clash Turns Chaotic
The drama unfolded on February 26 at Pappas’ Los Angeles home during a custody exchange, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. Stagliano arrived to pick up their daughter Addison, allegedly demanding to smell Pappas’ breath to check for alcohol—a claim echoed by his mother, Lynn Stagliano, who earlier that day said she “clearly smelled alcohol” on Pappas when retrieving Austin. Pappas, 43, denied drinking, ignored the request, and retreated to her garage. She alleges Stagliano followed, forcibly stopped her from closing the door, and shoved her twice, prompting her to lock herself inside and await police.
Stagliano, 41, called 911, accusing Pappas of assaulting him—claims she calls “unequivocally untrue,” alleging he fabricated a narrative of her punching, slapping, and grabbing his neck. When officers arrived, they arrested Pappas on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge on February 27. She was released hours later on $20,000 bond and voluntarily tested negative for drugs and alcohol, per her account—a result she says police never requested at the scene.
Clearing the Air
Pappas’ Thursday statement, issued through a spokesperson, aimed to quash speculation: “On behalf of our client, Deanna Pappas, we wish to address recent public sentiment and clarify the current legal status of matters stemming from an incident involving her former spouse. After a full investigation and review of video evidence, the assigned detective determined that Ms. Pappas was not the aggressor. No criminal charges were filed.” The statement noted she dropped a March 7 restraining order request against Stagliano on March 27, reaching a “cooperative agreement” to shield their kids from “prolonged conflict and public exposure.”
“Any continued attempt to distort facts or interfere with the children’s well-being will be met with the appropriate legal response,” it warned, requesting media restraint to protect Addison and Austin’s emotional health. Posts on X reflect a split: “DeAnna’s strength is unreal—let her heal,” one user wrote, while another questioned, “Why drop the restraining order if he shoved her?”
A Marriage Marred by Allegations
The arrest wasn’t an isolated flare-up. In her restraining order filing, Pappas accused Stagliano of a pattern of physical abuse during their 11-year marriage, which ended after a January 2023 split. She detailed a 2022 incident where he allegedly pinned her against a refrigerator, tore her clothes, and screamed insults—claims she tied to his struggles with depression, including a 5150 psychiatric hold. “I don’t say this to speak ill of him,” she wrote, per In Touch, insisting he’s a “good father” despite their fraught history.
Stagliano hasn’t publicly responded, but his mother’s declaration fueled the alcohol narrative Pappas vehemently denies. “The basis of [his case] is his fabrication that I’m an alcoholic,” she stated in court filings, calling it a ploy to alienate their children. Their divorce deal, per In Touch, bans excessive drinking around the kids, with Stagliano paying $1,000 monthly in child support and $1,500 in spousal support.
From Reality TV to Real-Life Strife
Pappas, who rose to fame on Brad Womack’s 2007 Bachelor season before starring as The Bachelorette in 2008, met Stagliano through his brother Michael (a Bachelorette alum) and wed in 2011. Their split marked another Bachelor Nation breakup, but the arrest saga has thrust her into a grittier spotlight. A video allegedly filmed by Addison during the February clash—cited in court but not public—remains a key piece of her defense, though its fate is unclear after the restraining order dismissal.
For now, Pappas is leaning on therapy—calling it “life-giving” in a prior Us Weekly interview—and focusing on her kids. As Trump’s tariffs and global unrest dominate headlines, her silence-breaking moment underscores a personal battle fought far from the glitz of reality TV, with a mother’s resolve at its core.
