The actress is devastated at the thought of losing custody of the little girl she loves
- JoAnna Zulli, BettyConfidential.com
Friends of Sandra Bullock say the actress cries every day over her fear of losing custody of Sunny, her husband Jesse James’ daughter.
Last January, Sandra, 45, and Jesse were granted temporary custody of the 5-year-old when Jesse’s ex, former porn star Janine Lindemulder, was sentenced to six months in jail for tax evasion. Now, Janine — who has appeared in more than 100 adult films — has been released from prison and is seeking custody of Sunny.
Read 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sandra Bullock
“Sandra’s so upset,’’ a friend tells BettyConfidential. ‘’She loves Sunny like she was her own and even lessened her workload in order to raise the little girl. Sometimes, Sunny even calls her Mommy. So Sandra is not giving up.’’
A worried Sandra and Jesse, 40, have written letters to the court requesting permanent guardianship of Sunny and have questioned Janine’s fitness as a parent because of concerns about her alleged drug use.
“I myself have stopped working like I used to in order to be here with Jesse and the kids because we are on constant high alert,’’ Sandra said. ‘’Never knowing what condition Janine will be in, and even more concerning the condition Sunny will be in. While in Janine’s care, sometimes Sunny is left alone during the day, while her mother is asleep from drug use. I know the term ‘stepmother’ carries many connotations, one of them being glorified babysitter. My commitment and responsibility to Sunny goes beyond that.’’
Sandra also defended her motives for wanting sole custody. “Janine has claimed many times that my desire to have Sunny was because I could not have children of my own. It couldn’t be further from the truth.”
While Janine and Jesse continue to fight over custody, she is allowed to see Sunny once a week. Janine, 40, told ABC’s Good Morning America last week, “What would give her the right to take away my daughter? I am the best mother I can be. Yes, I have absolutely made horrific choices in the past. I’ve had my share of drugs. But then there’s a huge portion of my life — a 10-year span — where there’s nothing. I didn’t need it. Sandy doesn’t know what goes on in my house. I would love for her to, please come over, I’ll make dinner, you know, let’s sit down, two women.’’
The friend tells BettyConfidential that Sandra considers all of Jesse’s children to be her kids too. He has two kids with his first wife, Karla — Chandler, 14, and Jesse Jr., 11. "You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family," Sandra told Harper’s Bazaar magazine in May. “They all have a very close relationship,'' the pal confirms.
Sandra revealed in InStyle magazine earlier this year that being a wife and mom is her focus. "Everything we do is about the kids," she said. “I haven't had children biologically. I had shut that off; then I met Jesse, and it turned on again. I was like, 'Oh, that's that feeling.' “ She added: "My greatest joy is making our home what it's supposed to be. Being a good wife, a good stepmom, a good current wife to the ex-wife. We're a family."
And now, as she faces the possibility of losing Sunny, the pal says Sandra is barely sleeping at night. “She is trying her best to stay calm, but it’s hard. Sandra and Sunny will go on shopping sprees to keep their minds off of things. She would be near a breaking point if they lose Sunny.”
JoAnna Zulli is a New York-based writer who has worked for Star, Soap Opera Magazine, Woman's World, In Touch and the New York Post
To read more from BettyConfidential | Mean Betty on Celebs That Just Can't Help It
