Denise Richards Recalls Telling Daughters Charlie Sheen Is HIV-Positive: ‘It Was Everywhere’

Denise Richards wasn’t always thrilled about having to tell her daughters headlines about their dad, Charlie Sheen.

During the Monday, March 31, episode of Jana Kramer’s “Whine Down” podcast, Richards, 54, was asked whether Sami, 20, and Lola, 19, were privy to Sheen’s more shocking public scandals, to which she replied, “They weren’t ones to Google us because we’re mom and dad. Obviously, their dad had a lot of public stuff too.”

The former couple was married from 2002 to 2006. Richards, however, admitted that it has been “hard” to navigate at times.

“There were things that I would tell them like, ‘You might hear something at school. If you have any questions, please come to me.’ And they didn’t even ask,” she added. “I did have to tell them — because this is where I was kind of upset with Charlie that he didn’t warn me — when he came out publicly that he has HIV.”

Richards wasn’t thrilled that Sheen, 59, didn’t give her a “heads-up,” saying, “It was everywhere. I think I picked them up early from school that day because I didn’t want kids at school to tell them. I had to have a conversation about that.”

The RHOBH alum noted that “It was hard to explain to them” what Sheen’s diagnosis meant.. “But that was the only time I can remember,” she said.“There’s been a few things that I’ve had to have conversations with them about. But for the most part, I really tried to shelter them from a lot of stuff.”

In 2015, Sheen announced on the Today show that he was HIV positive after being diagnosed four years prior.

“I try not to think too far down the line, you know?” Sheen exclusively told Us Weekly in 2019. “I made some changes to give myself a shot to do some cool things professionally. And I’m proud of finally being consistent. And reliable. And noble.”

More recently, Richards and her daughters with Sheen opened up about where they stand with him now. (Richards, who is currently married to Aaron Phypers adopted daughter Eloise, 13, in 2011.)

“It’s been [complicated] from day one and both girls are finding their path in the relationship and that’s OK,” Richards told Us in March. “Things can be up and down, but you can always get through it.”

Sami described her relationship with Charlie as “complicated” while Lola said they were in a good place.

“My life is way more enjoyable when we have a relationship because if not, it’s like, I hate having that feeling of not talking,” Lola told Us. “Obviously, we go through ups and downs sometimes, but our relationship is good. When I really started to struggle with my mental health, he really helped me because he’s not very emotional so he kind of gets straight to the point, and I think that’s what helped me in moments of anxiety.”

After his split from Richards, Sheen expanded his family with twin sons Bob and Max, 16, whom he shares with now-ex-wife Brooke Mueller.