Steve Burton Submits Text Messages in Custody Dispute With Ex-Wife Sheree Gustin

Steve Burton has submitted a series of text messages to the court as part of his custody dispute with ex-wife Sheree Gustin, accusing her of failing to uphold their parenting arrangement.

The 55-year-old General Hospital star and Gustin established a custody agreement in late 2023 for their 11-year-old daughter Brooklyn following their 2022 divorce. The agreement was modified earlier this year, but Burton is now seeking court intervention to enforce compliance.

According to court documents, Burton claims Gustin has engaged in "deliberate obstruction" of his parenting time. He alleges she enrolled Brooklyn in a six-week junior lifeguard program that conflicted with his previously scheduled weeks with their daughter and has refused to allow Brooklyn to use her two-week vacation time outside of California.

In a March 14 text exchange, Burton expressed frustration over the situation. "This is manipulation. You signed an order," he wrote to Gustin. "So the response should have been hey brook your dad has you a lot in the summer .. but I know your priority is not having her spend time with us. Activities do not Trump time with family .. again this is something that you signed and you decided to neglect that and now put it on brook."

Gustin responded two hours later, stating that she had informed Burton about Brooklyn's desire to participate in the junior lifeguard program. "You knew this. You are the one who decided to move. Her life is here. She's going to be more involved in things," Gustin wrote. "You're welcome to be here and be a part of it. I told you I'm willing to work with you but she shouldn't be limited to activities she wants to do because you insist on her being in Tennessee. That's not right or fair to her."

Burton continued pressing his case in subsequent messages. "The truth is, you've never been willing to work with anything. If you were, we never would've gone to court in the first place just to see my daughter," he wrote.

In another exchange, Burton referenced the timing conflict created by the lifeguard program. "The problem is if she makes it that's our week to take her to Tennessee, which you knew," he texted. "So why would you push to join when it takes up the whole summer when I have weeks in July also."

He later added: "You signed an order two months ago and now you're going against it. and then you try to put it on me and Brooklyn. We will not be in California. And please stop telling Brooklyn her life is here. It's gonna be in both places .. and you can choose to be supportive for Brooklyn."

The custody arrangement has been contentious. Last year, Gustin accused Burton of harassment related to custody matters, and now Burton is countering with allegations of manipulation and non-compliance.

Burton is asking the court to compel Gustin to honor the custody agreement. Earlier this year, the actor took an extended hiatus from General Hospital to focus on family time, including his wife Michelle Lundstrom, whom he married last year.