It turns out that Katie Holmes was trying to protect her daughter when she filed for divorce and fled the couple’s luxury high-rise in New York City.
The actress enlisted the help of her lawyer father Martin Holmes, who assisted her and his granddaughter with an escape plan that included moving into their own Manhattan coop apartment.
New information suggests that Tom Cruise planned to send the couple’s 6-year-old daughter Suri Cruise to be indoctrinated into Scientology by attending boarding school at Sea Organization. Kids as young as five live and attend school in a boot camp setting away from their parents.
The Church of Scientology operates Sea Organization schools in New York, Florida and California. The work camps claim to adhere to all child labor laws.
The ‘Rock of Ages’ actor is currently filming ‘Oblivion’ in Iceland, which has provided Katie Holmes with a perfect opportunity to move from the family apartment into one that she and Suri picked out together with the help of her Ohio lawyer father.
Holmes is seeking sole legal custody of Suri and primary physical custody, and will presumably have quite a bit to say about the role that Scientology has played in her decision to remove her child from what she perceived to be an unhealthy situation.
Legal experts suggest that differing religious convictions between battling spouses is not grounds for awarding child custody to one over another, but bizarre behavior that can be demonstrated to adversely affect the child might sway a judge’s decision. The courts in New York have a history of awarding sole custody when warranted.
Cruise has a net worth of $270 million and will employ a first rate legal team to fight for custody of his daughter. Katie Holmes will have an uphill battle if she intends to slay this particular giant.
Photos: WENN