Modern Family's Ariel Winter, 14, 'removed from home amid allegations of abuse'

The mother of Modern Family star Ariel Winter has temporarily lost custody of the actress amid claims she's been physically and emotionally abusive to the teenager, court records show.
The allegations are contained in a guardianship petition filed last month in Los Angeles by Winter's 34-year-old sister, Shanelle.
A judge ordered the 14-year-old's mother, Chrisoula Workman, to stay away and have no contact with her daughter until a November 20 hearing.

Red carpet: Ariel Winter arrives at Teen Vogue's 10th Anniversary Young Hollywood party in Beverly Hills on September 27

Winter's sister, also a TV actress, was appointed as a temporary guardian but does not have access to Winter's earnings, according to the judge's order.
But Workman denied the claims, telling People magazine: 'It's all untrue, it's all untrue.'
She added: 'I have my doctor's letter that my daughter's never been abused. … I have stylists' letters that she's never been abused.'

 

Winter, who started acting in films and TV shows at age seven, currently plays Alex Dunphy on the hit ABC comedy.
Winter's mother was accused in the filings of 'ongoing physical abuse' described as slapping and hitting, as well as name-calling and personal insults. Reached by phone, Workman said she was in the process of hiring an attorney.

Onscreen: Ariel appears with Modern Family co-stars Rico Rodriguez, Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Julie Bowen, and Ed O'Neill in an episode of the hit show

An independent attorney has been appointed to oversee Winter's interests in the case.
Attorneys handling the guardianship had sought to transfer control of the young star's earnings from an account her mother can access to a blocked account. A judge did not grant that request, but it may be renewed at a later date.
Winter has appeared in several TV series, including ER and Phineas and Ferb, and movies such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Ice Age: The Meltdown and ParaNorman.
The filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.
The website claims Workman was ordered to stay 100 yards away from Winter during a court hearing on October 3.
When asked about the allegations of abuse towards Winter, her spokesman had no comment.