After nearly 10 years of marriage, Melanie “Mel B” Brown has filed for divorce from Stephen Belafonte. According to divorce papers obtained by PEOPLE, the star and Belafonte have actually been separated since December 28, and they’re looking to share joint legal and physical custody of their daughter Madison. Brown is asking that any requests for spousal support be shut down by the court.
The pair only had daughter Madison together, but lived together with their children from previous relationships. Brown has daughters Phoenix, 17, from ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar, and Angel, 9, from her relationship with Eddie Murphy. Belafonte has 12-year-old daughter Giselle from a past relationship.
According to TMZ, the cause of their divorce is listed as “irreconcilable differences,” and there have been rumblings for some time of marital discord. In late 2014, after Brown was hospitalized for stomach pains and then returned to the U.K.’s X Factor with what people said were bruises, accusations flew that Belafonte had been physically abusive. Even Brown’s mother said it was true. He tried to shut the claims down saying the following:
Idon’t usually respond to Twitter msgs but I will respond to comments of hitting my wife which I think are quite disgusting un true!
— Stephen Belafonte (@Stephenthinks1) December 15, 2014
As for Brown, she responded to the rumors by saying, “My hubby never laid a hand on me,” and also packed on the P.D.A. with Belafonte.
The pair stayed together, and in February, she gave the impression that all was well with the two by sharing a lovey-dovey Instagram post ahead of what was to be their 10th wedding anniversary in a few months:
But following the passing of her father from a five-year cancer battle earlier this month, Brown has decided to call it quits with Belafonte. The pair married in June 2007 after reportedly dating for five months.
Image via WENN
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