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General Hospital alum Kirsten Storms has issued a public statement about her daughter amid an ongoing custody battle with ex-husband Brandon Barash.
“Please remember that we are people who are divorced and have a child,” Storms, 42, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 19. “I appreciate the supportive comments, but now that my daughter is of the age where she will Google her name while riding the bus to school, I’m asking that the speculation on this issue please stop.”
The actress, who split from former costar Barash, 46, in 2016, attracted headlines in April after her ex filed an emergency restraining order against her, per legal documents obtained by Us at the time. The documents showed that Barash also filed for custody of their daughter, Harper Rose, 12, in December 2025. (Prior to the filing, the former couple coparented their child, relocating from California to Tennessee in 2025.)
Storms’ Instagram post also discussed the profound impact that Harper has had on her life. “I had Harper, and how I viewed every single thing in life shifted. I swear I’m not going to continue to bring up my medical situation (I’ll make jokes and it will be awkward), but until I began to understand how precious time is and how what we prioritize becomes ALL we have, there was never a thought that my life would ever change,” she continued, referencing the 2021 brain cyst, 2025 brain aneurysm and subsequent treatments she’s undergone over the years.
The actress also took the opportunity to comment on her current relationship with Barash. “I will briefly acknowledge that there is an ongoing situation with Brandon that will be getting sorted out (soon hopefully),” Storms wrote. “I would appreciate (and encourage) for people … not to worry about me, or think there is something larger going on, other than 2 ex-spouses dealing with a “disagreement” that WILL be resolved.”
Storms and Barash tied the knot in 2013 after falling in love while working together on General Hospital — Storms portrayed Maxie Jones while Barash played Johnny Zacchara.
After welcoming their daughter the following year, Barash told Soap Opera Digest in April 2016 that the pair’s marriage was over. “We are splitting due to the cliché irreconcilable differences, but we’re splitting amicably,” the actor said at the time. “We have every intention of remaining a family through this and coparenting our kid and retaining a friendship in the efforts of raising her in a healthy environment.”
In Barash’s recent legal filing, he requested a change to his and Storms’ initial agreement due to multiple issues that had risen since their cross country move.
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