Ariel Winter's mother has denied abusing
the 14-year-old Modern Family star—and now she's suing mad over a claim to the
contrary.
Chrisoula Workman, who lost custody of
Ariel in October after her elder daughter, Shanelle Gray, accused her of
emotionally and physically abusing Ariel, has filed a defamation lawsuit
against an acquaintance of Shanelle's, saying he defamed her by calling her
"an abusive monster" in a comment on the Los Angeles Times' website.
"This is a total falsehood,"
reads a comment posted underneath a Nov. 9 article headlined "Modern
Family Actress and Boyfriend Had Unlawful Sex, Mom Charges" and attributed
to Matthew Borlenghi, the defendant. Workman's complaint states that he is an
actor and an instructor at a dance studio run by Gray.
"The mother is grasping and clawing to
find a way not to lose her money-maker, and hide the fact that she is an
abusive monster," the comment continues. "Having spent time with
her...these accusations are disgusting, just as she is." (The comment,
which is still online, identifies Borlenghi as CEO and president at Black Hat
Productions.)
Workman has maintained that Gray, who's
also an actress, reinserted herself into her little sister's life in order to
take advantage of her showbiz connections. She has also claimed in court
documents that Ariel is rebelling against her because she broke up the teen's
relationship with a 19-year-old.
Borlenghi did not comment on the suit,
telling reporters he hadn't seen it yet.
Meanwhile, a trial to determine where Ariel
should reside permanently is scheduled to kick off Wednesday.
Gray's temporary guardianship of Ariel was
extended last month after the L.A. County Department of Child and Family
Services reported to the court that investigators had found evidence of
emotional abuse on Workman's part.
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