In 2017, singer Jennifer Hudson and former pro wrestler David Otunga shocked fans when
they announced their split after a decade together.
And making the news even more shocking, was Hudson's restraining order against the father
of her only child.
Here's why this relationship gets weirder by the minute.
Tragedy stalls the wedding
Hudson and Otunga were dating for less than a year when her rep confirmed to People magazine
that he put a ring on it in September 2008.
"There is a wedding date."
"Am I on the guest list?"
"Of course you are."
But just a month later, tragedy struck.
Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson, brother Jason, and nephew Julian King, were killed
by Hudson's sister's ex, William Balfour, at their Chicago home.
While the slayings were devastating, Hudson credits Otunga and their son, David, with
saving her life.
She told Ebony,
"I could have been home with my mom then.
[Otunga] wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago.
I flew out to see him.
That's why I'm still here."
"So you think about that, 'I coulda been in that house.'
And do you think he would have…?"
"Oh definitely."
"He would have killed you too."
"Oh my god, yes, because that's what his promise was."
According to People magazine, Balfour was convicted on three counts of murder.
A very long engagement
Despite the birth of their son in 2009, the pair never married.
The American Idol alum says she didn't want to rush into it, telling Wendy Williams,
"The ring is still there.
We will get married one day, but again, my thing is once I get married, I don't believe
in divorce."
She assured her fans,
"We want to be completely sure we're together, we're happy."
Hudson later admitted that watching Ciara marry her husband Russel Wilson inspired her
to think about things more seriously.
Hudson told Essence in 2016,
"After being at Ciara's wedding, I'm like 'Okay.'
I don't know, it inspired something.
I just loved her dress.
It was so beautiful.
So that made me say 'Okay, all my friends and peers are married now.'
You know what I mean?"
"I'm in no hurry to get married.
I wish I could tell you something else about that."
But things were about to move very far away from the altar, for this celebrity duo.
Quietly calling it quits
Though the public didn't hear about the couple's breakup until late 2017, Hudson and Otunga's
relationship apparently ended months before headlines broke.
"Jennifer Hudson and her fiance David Otunga reportedly have broken up after 10 years."
Making the split even more messy, TMZ reported that Otunga accused Hudson of having an affair
with music producer Mali Music.
Despite the breakup, the former couple reportedly continued to live together while trying to
reach a custody agreement for their son.
But Hudson claimed in court docs that Otunga had become increasingly violent, which prompted
her to obtain a protective order against him.
Hudson also accused Otunga of deliberately leaving a gun visible on their kitchen counter
to scare her.
In documents obtained by TMZ, Hudson alleged:
"David knows that I am and have been very sensitive to firearms after my mother and
my brother were murdered by a firearm…I believe that he left it out to taunt, intimidate
and frighten me, which he absolutely accomplished."
Gearing up for a custody battle
Hudson reportedly accused Otunga of threatening to skip town with their son.
In court docs obtained by The Blast in 2017, Hudson claimed Otunga took David Jr. out of
school and she only found out about it when the school's safety app alerted her.
And as Hudson and Otunga both claimed to be the primary caregiver for their son, their
custody battle shaped up to be a nasty one.
Otunga's attorney told People magazine,
"When it became apparent to Ms. Hudson that Mr. Otunga would be the parent granted residential
care of the child…Ms. Hudson decided to file a meritless Petition for Order of Protection
in an effort to gain an unfair advantage in the custody dispute."
However, the outlet reported that Hudson was temporarily granted full custody of David
Jr., as well as exclusive possession of the family home.
Settling out of court
The Chicago Tribune reported in March 2019 that the judge in Hudson and Otunga's ongoing
custody case had warned the exes that if they didn't come to an agreement soon, the dispute
would have to go to court.
But with a trial date reportedly set for that August, the former couple finally settled
their differences in July of that year.
"We gonna spin around, you don't wanna spin around?
David."
While the details have remained mostly under wraps, The Blast reports that Hudson and Otunga
debated everything, even where David Jr.'s school bus would stop.
But the exes finally settled on a quote "fluid custody agreement," with an objective of finalizing
a 50-50 custody arrangement.
"I have to see what's going on with my baby."
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