‘Sexual Indiscretions’ Cost Woman Custody of Child

(CN) - A Tennessee mother who has had relationships with "at least seven different men" since her divorce lost custody of her daughter in a decision affirmed by the state appeals court.

Charlotte Wright-Murray's "post-divorce conduct, including drug use and sexual indiscretions, amounted to a material change of circumstances" warranting the custody decision, Judge Patricia Cottrell wrote for the Nashville-based Court of Appeals.

In the parenting plan for 10-year-old daughter Presleigh, Charlotte and her ex-husband, Anthony Murray, agreed not to expose Presleigh to overconsumption of alcohol, illegal substances or overnight romantic visitors.

Charlotte dated a man named Billy Wells for five months. After they broke up, Wells told Anthony that Charlotte was using marijuana, morphine and other drugs at her house. Anthony called the sheriff.

Charlotte acknowledged that she made some bad choices in men, including Wells, on whom she took out a protective order, a married male nurse at the hospital where she worked, and her son's basketball coach, who was also married at the time. But she denied having exposed Presleigh to them.

However, she did admit that she met another man on the Internet and spent the night at his apartment, accompanied by Presleigh. Charlotte denied that anything inappropriate happened.

Presleigh took the stand and testified that she had been with Charlotte overnight while under the same roof as Wells, the Internet boyfriend, and another boyfriend.

"While there is no proof that any of the (boyfriends) has had a negative impact on the child, Mother's lack of judgment in establishing some of these relationships could pose a danger to the child," Cottrell wrote.

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