Sherri Papini Back in Court, This Time for Visitation Rights With Her Children
Sherri Papini, the California mother who made international headlines for faking her own kidnapping in 2016, is back in court—but this time, it’s a family matter. After serving prison time for her crimes, she is now asking for visitation rights with her two children, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Keith Papini.
Papini’s Plea to See Her Children Again
In a court filing ahead of a Friday hearing in Shasta County Superior Court, Sherri Papini said she wants to reconnect with her kids and expressed how deeply the past few years have affected her family.
”For eight years our family has been followed, stalked, harassed and bullied by the media,” she wrote. “I have done my best to stay private to focus on my children and healing from the events that transpired.”
Papini also reminded the court that she had been the primary caregiver for their children before going to prison and insisted that her children have always been her top priority.
Her Ex-Husband Opposes Visitation
Keith Papini, her ex-husband, strongly disagrees with her request. He is fighting to keep their children away from their mother, citing the impact of her past actions. According to him, the safety and emotional well-being of the children must come first.
The matter was heard by Judge Kathryn J. Barton in a Shasta County courtroom as both sides presented their arguments through their legal teams.
The Fake Kidnapping That Shocked the Nation
In November 2016, Sherri Papini vanished while out jogging near her home in Redding, California. She resurfaced 22 days later, 150 miles away in Yolo County, bound, bruised, and with a branding mark on her shoulder. She claimed she had been abducted at gunpoint by two Hispanic women.
The story captured international attention, and both local and federal agencies invested huge resources into investigating the case. But it all turned out to be a lie.
After years of investigation, DNA evidence led authorities to an ex-boyfriend with whom Papini had voluntarily stayed during the three weeks she was “missing”. He admitted the truth to investigators, and Papini was charged in March 2022 with 35 counts of mail fraud and one count of lying to a federal officer.
She eventually pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and lying to federal investigators as part of a plea deal.
The Fallout: Divorce, Custody, and Jail Time
Following the exposure of the hoax, Keith Papini filed for divorce and took full custody of their children. Sherri Papini later served prison time as part of her sentence, but now that she’s out, she’s looking to re-establish contact with her children.
Despite the controversy surrounding her case and the widespread media coverage—including a Hulu documentary—Sherri says she is focused on healing and rebuilding her relationship with her family.
The Sherri Papini case was one of the most widely reported criminal hoaxes in recent U.S. history. Now, after serving her time, she faces a very personal challenge—regaining access to her children. Whether the court grants her visitation remains to be seen, but the case continues to stir debate about forgiveness, parental rights, and protecting children from past trauma.