Mel B’s mother has blasted claims her daughter is a danger to her children.
The ‘America’s Got Talent’ star’s friend and former nanny Rusty Updegraff has told a judge presiding over her custody battle with ex-husband Stephen Belafonte that she drinks heavily, takes drugs, and brings strangers home for sex while her youngest daughters Angel, 11, and seven-year-old Madison are at home, but Andrea Brown has rubbished his claims.
She fumed: "I can no longer sit back and let this man try and ruin my daughter and traumatise my grandchildren.
"She’s always had a wild streak but she’s a good mum and those kids mean the world to her. I know she has on occasion had a bit too much to drink but I also know the trauma she’s gone through being married to Stephen.
"She has PTSD and she’s said she does sometimes drink to numb her pain but never when she’s looking after the kids."
And Andrea accused Rusty and Stephen – who is Madison’s father – of trying to smear her daughter.
She added to The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "If I thought for one second my grandchildren were in danger and my daughter was out of control I’d have been straight on a plane.
"This is a case of two men trying to blacken Melanie’s name. If this were for the sake of her children why on earth did they not go to the police or social services? It’s just a joke."
Meanwhile, Rusty has claimed he only spoke out against 43-year-old Mel – who also has 19-year-old Phoenix from her marriage to Jimmy Gulzar – to help her and her daughters.
He told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Mel would drink so much at the house and pass out that if there was an emergency I dread to think what would happen.
"I am not doing this for fame, and I didn’t have to do this, but I love those children and want the best for them… I had to act…
"I filed paperwork, not because I am on Stephen’s side – I don’t know the man – but because three of my friends convinced me to do it as it was the right thing for Mel and for the children."
Mel B defended by mother
