Full Breakdown
Emergency Restraining Order Granted Against General Hospital Star Kirsten Storms
4/28/2026, 8:58:24 PM
Emergency Restraining Order Granted Kirsten Storms
A Tennessee judge approved an emergency restraining order on April 27, 2026, filed by actor Brandon Barash against his ex-wife, actress Kirsten Storms. Barash’s filing cited a “mental health crisis” and expressed “great concern … ability to adequately care for the minor child,” referring to their 12-year-old daughter Harper.
Background: Marriage, Divorce, Custody
Storms (42) and Barash (46) met on the set of *General Hospital*, married in 2013, and welcomed daughter Harper in 2014. Sources differ on the divorce year—some list 2015, others 2016—but the couple has shared joint custody since the separation. Barash remarried in 2025 to Isabella Devoto; the family now resides in Tennessee.
Key Figures
- Kirsten Storms (42), actress;
- Brandon Barash (46), ex-husband;
- Isabella Devoto, Barash’s current wife;
- Harper (12), their daughter.
Timeline of Legal and Health Developments
- 2021 – Storms undergoes brain surgery, later monitoring a cyst.
- Sept 2024 – June 2025 – No permanent residence; stays in hotels, believing she and Harper were being followed.
- May 19 2025 – Storms calls Barash, reporting “delusions and hallucinations” and questioning her parenting fitness.
- Apr 27 2026 – Barash files emergency restraining order; judge grants it and orders supervised visitation.
Data & Statistics
Storms 42, Barash 46; daughter Harper 12. Barash loaned $5,000; housing instability ~10 months; supervised visitation ordered.
Why It Matters
The order limits Storms’ parental access and may impede her demanding filming schedule, threatening her long-running role on *General Hospital*. It also underscores how mental-health crises intersect with custody battles. Storms noted that GH and ABC executives allowed her to take time off, highlighting employer support for health-related leaves.
Official Statements & Responses
Storms thanked “GH, the ABC network executives, the writers” on Instagram for granting leave and posted a brain-scan update. Barash’s filing asked the court for a mandatory mental-health evaluation, citing concerns for Harper. The judge ordered emergency protection and supervised visitation.
Criticism & Opposition
Some observers note the Adderall-use allegation comes from a friend and suggest a broader medical assessment beyond psychiatric evaluation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the divorce year (2015 vs. 2016) and give no update on the mental-health evaluation outcome.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I really want to thank GH, the ABC network executives, the writers for agreeing to let me take this time,” — Kirsten Storms, Actress
- “In January [2025], I had a new scan done of my brain,” — Kirsten Storms, Instagram post
- “instability with housing has been a recurring theme” — Brandon Barash, Court filing
- “experiencing delusions and hallucinations.” — Kirsten Storms, Phone call to Barash
What’s Next
A hearing later this week will decide if the restraining order stays, whether Storms must undergo a mental-health evaluation, and if visitation terms change, affecting her return to *General Hospital*.
