Disclaimer: All facts gleaned from the filings stated hereafter are only as truthful as the petitioner. The tone of this article expresses a style of writing historically employed by America’s greatest writers and, as such, is for opinion purposes only. No intentional harm is due. Do not read if the topic of divorce (even your own) causes you emotional distress. Continue at your own risk.

On February 13, 2025, just two days before Valentine’s Day, Cassie Brown made the difficult decision to file for divorce, seeking a fresh start from her estranged husband, Anthony Carter, Jr. The timing of the petition, filed in St. Louis City, was strikingly out of sync with the romantic tone of the month—usually filled with declarations of love and connection. Instead, Brown’s filing reflected years of emotional distance and a marriage that had long since fractured.

Married in 2016 in Peoria, Illinois, Brown and Carter’s relationship had deteriorated by the time they separated in August 2020. Brown’s petition tells the story of neglect, abuse, and broken promises. For years, Carter’s behavior had strained their marriage, but it was his arrest in 2020 for domestic violence that truly marked the end. As a result, Brown had already been raising their three minor children alone for several years.

The decision to file for divorce now—right before Valentine’s Day—marks the culmination of a painful journey for Brown. In addition to her own personal suffering, she had fought to protect her children from the instability and neglect that had come with Carter’s actions. Brown, requesting sole legal and physical custody of the children, argued that any contact between them and their father would endanger their health and emotional well-being.

As Brown’s attorney, Christine Fuchs of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, put it in the petition, the marriage had reached its breaking point, with no reasonable possibility of reconciliation. In filing for divorce now, Brown sought not only a legal dissolution but also a chance to move forward, free from the toxic hold of a marriage that had failed in nearly every way.

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