Deon Derrico is setting the record straight after allegedly being accused on social media of “abandoning” his children in the wake of his divorce from wife Karen Derrico.
As The Ashley previously told you, the Doubling Down with the Derricos couple, who have appeared on TLC with their 14 children since 2020, officially– and secretly– ended their marriage in June, just two days after filing for divorce.
Per the agreement, Deon and Karen are to split legal and physical custody of their 13 minor children. (Their oldest child, Darian, is 18 years old, so she was not mentioned in the divorce filing.) In addition, Deon was ordered to pay $1,166 a month in child support, while Karen is responsible for covering the minor children’s medical insurance.
This week, Deon took to Facebook Watch to address the backlash he’s received from fans of the TLC series regarding the relatively low amount he was ordered to pay his ex-wife in child support.
“Many of you have had discrepancies about ‘Why is my child support so low?’ Well, let me address that,” he said. “Karen pays the medical insurance, and because she pays the medical insurance– which is about $2,000 a month– the legal fair equity of it is that I pay her half of the money she’s paying for healthcare.”
According to Deon, that only makes him responsible for (approximately) $1,000 in monthly child support, though he went on to assure fans that he’s contributing much more than that financially toward his kids.
“But let me be very clear, I cover every bill in both of our houses,” he claimed, confirming that he and Karen now reside in “separate houses.”
“I cover bills at both houses,” Deon said. “That’s two washing machines and dryers, that’s two kitchens, that’s two stoves, that’s bathrooms at both houses, that’s toilet paper, that’s light bill, gas bill, mortgages, hazard insurance, I cover all of that.
“So when you think that I just have abandoned my children … my biggest question is where have I shown actions of abandonment?” Deon asked.
Deon went on to claim that those who know his mother, Marian “GG” Derrico–- who joined him in the video–- should know that he would have to answer to her if he were ever to “do such a thing” like abandon his children.
Later in the video, Deon reiterated that he covers “every single bill” in the Derrico family, insisting he was not sharing this detail to brag, but rather because he is “proud to be in the position to do it.”
“But more than that, I’m thankful to God that I have a mother that raised me with the understanding to know my job as a man and responsibility as a man is to do it,” he added. “I’m here in my children’s lives as a father, not just taking care of their bills, but as a hands-on, taking them to the games, spending time with them, wrestling with my boys, playing makeup with my daughters.
“I’m here as a hands-on father because I want to be [and] I enjoy it,” he continued. “I enjoy it whether Karen and I are together or not.”
Deon said both he and Karen have a responsibility to their 14 children to provide a “loving, nurturing environment,” which they both will always do, even if they do not see eye-to-eye. As for fans of the show who have been vocal about wanting to see Deon and Karen “make it work,” Deon insisted their split was for the best.
“So, if we stayed together and was fighting, would that be healthier for the children?” he asked.
Watch Deon’s full video below!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=795783235962680
