Wife says fight led to father of sextuplets being charged in Arizona with domestic violence

Domestic violence charges against sextuplets’ dad

CAMP VERDE, Ariz. — The father of sextuplets, who stars on a cable television reality show about raising them, was charged with domestic violence while visiting family in Arizona.

Bryan Masche, 32, yelled at and threatened his wife and another family member earlier this month at a relative’s home in Camp Verde, authorities said.

His wife, Jenny Masche, told authorities the argument stemmed from marital issues and her husband wanting to take the children to Lake Havasu City, where they once lived. She also said he was upset and yelled profanities in the children’s presence when he became aware of her plans to visit friends in Phoenix for work reasons, according to a complaint.

“The biggest concern was his frame of mind and the fact that he wanted to take the kids,” said Robin Bruno, a spokeswoman for the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office.

Masche was arrested on Sept. 11 and posted a $3,500 bond the following day. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of domestic violence involving disorderly conduct and threats, and a single count of resisting arrest, a court official said.

A caller reported that Masche said he was going to “flatten” his father-in-law and was disorderly, Bruno said. His next court date is set for Oct. 7.

The show “Raising Sextuplets” is on WE TV. The network did not immediately respond to an e-mail requesting comment, and a voice message left for Masche was not returned.

Jenny Masche gave birth by Cesarean section to the sextuplets — three boys and three girls — at a central Phoenix hospital in June 2007. The children are the first surviving sextuplet birth in Arizona, and all but one weighed less than 3 pounds.

The family now lives in the Destin, Fla., area.

Online:

www.wetv.com/raisingsextuplets