A bitter divorce proceeding between a school counselor and an Arkansas State Police trooper devolved into accusations of racism and threats to expose private communications. Alana Kennedy and Michael Austin Kennedy, parents to two young children, traded severe allegations in court filings, each attempting to gain sole custody.
Alana Kennedy initially sought full custody of the couple's children, Aaron and Alivia, arguing that her estranged husband, Austin Kennedy, harbored racist views that could "poison" their minds. She submitted dozens of private text messages into court documents that allegedly contained racial slurs and disparaging remarks about various minority groups, as well as LGBTQ individuals. Some messages included photos of arrested suspects with racially charged captions.
Austin Kennedy, in turn, accused his wife of attempting to gain sole custody and excessive child support to fund a "lavish lifestyle." He claimed her actions were an attempt to deny him access to their children.
The conflict escalated to the point where Austin Kennedy was forced to resign from the Arkansas State Police. This resignation followed the public revelation of the text messages and an internal affairs investigation, which he alleged was part of his wife's strategy to damage him.
Amidst the intense legal battle, the couple's exchanges became increasingly hostile. Alana Kennedy reportedly threatened to release the damning texts, along with allegations of Austin's drug use, if he did not agree to her custody demands. She explicitly warned him that such private correspondence could become public record if he did not comply.
However, the "scorched earth" strategy did not result in Alana Kennedy securing full custody. The couple ultimately reached a compromise settlement. The Saline Circuit Court decree, issued this month, split custody evenly, with each parent having the children for alternating weeks. Austin Kennedy was ordered to pay child support, but significantly less than what might have been expected if Alana's initial demands had been met.
Under the terms of the divorce, both parents are required to facilitate family events regardless of who has custody. They must also offer each other the opportunity to care for the children if they are unable to do so themselves. Alana Kennedy was granted final decision-making authority on health and education matters if disagreements arise, but otherwise, joint decisions are required after conferring with each other.
The decree also stipulated that neither party may make disparaging remarks about the other in the presence of the children, under threat of contempt of court. All communication between the ex-spouses must now occur through a court-ordered app, AppClose. Mutual restraining orders remain in effect, including restrictions on contacting each other's employers.
Financially, Austin Kennedy's income is reported as $7,083 per month, while Alana Kennedy's is $4,695 per month. This income disparity led to the child support order. Austin Kennedy is also permitted to buy out Alana Kennedy's share of the couple's home, which they purchased for $375,000 less than four months before the divorce filing.
Austin Kennedy has since claimed a personal transformation, attributing it to his Christian faith, and has disavowed his past statements. The court's final decree aims to prevent further acrimony, mandating respectful co-parenting despite the contentious nature of their divorce proceedings.