Singer Michelle Branch has filed for divorce from her husband and drummer in The Black Keys, Patrick Carney, following her arrest last week on a charge of domestic assault.
The 39-year-old The Game of Love singer called an end to her marriage with 42-year-old Carney last Friday as she filed divorce documents in Tennessee. Branch has cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
Branch is asking for custody of their two children but said she wants Carney to be able to spend time with the kids. She also wants child support and for her ex-husband to pay her legal fees.
The drama all began last week when, according to TMZ, Branch announced the separation, and in a now-deleted tweet, she accused her ex of cheating.
On Thursday, August 11, things really escalated when Branch was arrested on a charge of domestic assault. As per TMZ, she was accused of slapping Carney either once or twice in the face.
The singer was held on $1000 bail, but she was later released because she’s breastfeeding her six-month-old daughter, Willie Paquet Carney.
Michelle Branch speaks out about separation from Patrick Carney
On the separation, Branch told People, “To say that I am totally devastated doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel for myself and for my family. The rug has been completely pulled from underneath me and now I must figure out how to move forward. With such small children, I ask for privacy and kindness.”
The couple married in New Orleans in 2019 at the Marigny Opera House. The pair share a 4-year-old son Rhys James as well as a 6-month-old daughter Willie Paquet.
Michelle Branch often posted pics of Patrick Carney and kids to Instagram
Branch regularly posted pictures of her ex-husband and her children to Instagram. For Father’s Day this year, she put up a sweet pic of Carney with Rhys James, hanging out in the booth of a cafe.
She captioned the post, “This guy makes our world go around and we love him so ❤️ I’m sorry you didn’t get to golf yesterday, Patrick! #FathersDay ?”
As per People, this was Branch’s second marriage and Carney’s third. She was previously hitched to Teddy Landau for ten years, but they went their separate ways in 2014.
Also, this week, The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco opened up about going through a “really a super dark time” following her divorce from ex-husband equestrian Karl Cook.