Troubled country music singer Mindy McCready was in family court in Lee County, Florida last week, seeking custody of her four-year-old son, Zander. The little boy is currently in the custody of McCready’s mother, Gayle Inge, after McCready experienced repeated legal and substance abuse problems.

After finding success on the country music charts in the mid-90s, McCready has since made more news for her personal life than for her professional life. In August 2004, McCready was arrested in Tennessee for using a fake prescription to buy the painkiller OxyContin. She pleaded guilty and received probation.

In May 2005, McCready’s ex-boyfriend (and Zander’s father), Billy McKnight, was arrested and charged with attempted murder after beating and choking McCready. That same month, she was stopped by Nashville police for speeding and then arrested and charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

Later that summer, she was charged in Arizona with identity theft, unlawful use of transportation, unlawful imprisonment, and hindering prosecution. In July 2005, McCready was found unconscious in a hotel lobby in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, after attempting suicide. She was hospitalized for a drug overdose after washing down a large amount of undisclosed drugs with alcohol.

In September 2005, McCready, then pregnant with Zander, attempted suicide again by overdosing on antidepressants.

Zander was born in March 2006.

In July 2007, McCready was arrested in Florida and charged with battery and resisting arrest relating to an altercation with her mother. The following week, she was taken into custody at the Nashville International Airport for violating her Tennessee probation. In September 2007, McCready was sentenced to a year in jail for violating her probation. In addition to the jail time, she was ordered to serve two more years of probation and perform 200 additional hours of community service. At that time, McCready voluntarily gave legal guardianship and custody of Zander to her mother. McCready was released from jail in December 2007 but was far from out-of-trouble.

Six months later, in June 2008, McCready was again arrested in Tennessee for violating the terms of her probation. Sentenced to 60 days in jail, McCready turned herself in on September 30, 2008. She was released early for good behavior on October 31, 2008.

In December 2008, though, McCready apparently attempted suicide again and was transported to a hospital with wrist wounds.

McCready recently appeared in the third season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, which aired earlier this year on VH1.

McCready’s attorney motioned to reopen the custody case. The judge ordered Florida’s Department of Children and Families to complete an investigation and report back to the court within 45 days. McCready will have visitation pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Zander’s father, Billy McKnight, was also present in court, making the same request as McCready – to reopen the custody case.

McCready claims that, in addition to addiction recovery, she has improved relations with McKnight and with her mother. It will be these changed circumstances that McCready will rely upon in seeking a change in custody. She will also endeavor to prove her fitness as a parent to the court. The judge will make his or her final determination based upon what is in the child’s best interests.

Library topics: custody, legal guardianship, custody modification