Son of MLB legend David Segui may sue Arizona for $30 MILLION claiming he 'suffered severe mental and emotional distress' after being ordered to attend family reunification camp with his estranged mother

The son of former Major League Baseball player David Segui is taking steps for possible legal action against the state of Arizona - for forcing him into counseling with his mother that he accused of abuse. 

Shai Segui, 18, submitted a notice of claim - a move which precedes a lawsuit - and alleged that he suffered $30 million in damages after the Maricopa County Superior Court ordered him and his brother to attend a family reunification camp in California.

In 2020, after a lengthy custody battle between their parents, Shai, who was a minor at the time, and his younger brother, Brock, were placed by the Arizona court in their mother's care until further notice.

Shai and Brock lived with their mother, Donna Moniz - who allegedly had the boys 'co-sleep naked with her until the age of 10' - and she enrolled them in Family Bridges, a controversial family reunification program that addresses 'parental alienation,' an unsubstantiated psychological theory.

Before the judge issued his ruling, David Segui, with whom the children enjoyed a good relationship, had full custody. The court order forbid Segui from contacting his boys for no less than 90 days. The order was ultimately in place for a year and half, according to court documents.

Worried that he would never see his children again, Segui fought back, and in May 2022, he filed to remove Family Bridges and to reestablish his parenting time. In February, Segui's efforts bore fruit, and he and Moniz were awarded joint legal custody. The children are reportedly happy since being reunited with their father and have only seen their mother twice since last summer. 

Shai Segui, the son of former MLB player David Segui (pictured), has taken the first steps to file a lawsuit against Arizona's Maricopa County Superior Court for its role in ordering him and his brother to attend a family reunification camp in California

The court ordered Shai and his brother to live with their mother, Dona Moniz, whom Shai reportedly accused of abuse, saying that she had him 'co-sleep' naked with her until he was 10; pictured: Brock Segui (left), Bryce Grudzielanek (center), and Shai Segui (right)

According to court documents reported on by Sacramento Observer reporter Robert J Hansen, Shai Segui had previously accused his mother of abuse.

In the documents, Hansen reported, Shai said he 'felt intense shame in himself and rage against his mother when describing memories of co-sleeping naked with his mother until about age 10'.

Hansen noted in the court documents, Shai 'has expressed anger over several physical [incidents] wherein Shai or Brock were hit by his mom or her guests at home or school'.

According to the Sacramento Observer reporter, the documents also convey how Shai felt 'guilty that his mother treated him better than Brock.'

Hansen added that Shai 'believes he should have protected Brock from their mother.'

The older brother also 'believes that his maternal grandmother no lover loves him,' a fact which 'hurts because he spent a lot of time with her growing up.'

David Segui (pictured) fought back against the court that ordered him not to contact his children

After splitting with David Segui, Donna Moniz started a relationship with another former professional baseball player, Mark Grudzielanek, who has also been accused of child abuse.

According to the Sacramento Observer reporter, Segui's children 'do not have good relationships with their mother's significant other'.

Grudzielanek has not seen his own children in seven years and a California court forbade him and Moniz from contacting his two sons.

After Segui and Moniz divorced in 2017, the custody of their children was undetermined. They engaged in a legal wrangle, which lasted a few years until an Arizona judge awarded Moniz exclusive physical custody of the children in late 2020.

When the judge awarded the alleged abuser physical custody, they also ordered David Segui to sever contact with his sons, pending further notice from the court. 

The order was required to be in place for at least 90 consecutive days, but it ended up being effective for a year-and-a-half.

Segui told Hansen: 'They tell you it's a temporary thing but then it becomes permanent'. 

The court ruled this way so that Moniz could enroll the children in Family Bridges, a program that seeks to treat 'parental alienation' with reunification therapy. 

'Parental alienation' is an unverified psychological theory that hinges on the idea of one parent brainwashing a child against the other parent.

Segui was stuck with most of the bill, the court mandating him to pay 90 percent of the therapy's fees, which ultimately came out to be over $90,000.

Hansen noted 'parental alienation' is a theory that abusers frequently exploit in order to undermine the veracity of a 'safe' parent's claims. 'Parental alienation theory' can also enable abusers to designate 'valid claims of abuse...as "alienation"'.

Randy Rand, the founder of Family Bridges, was divested of his license to practice psychology for unprofessional conduct.

In May 2022, Segui filed to remove his children from Family Bridges and sought to reestablish his parenting time.

By the fall, Segui was permitted to participate in supervised parenting sessions, which the court determined acted as a form of reintroduction for Segui.

In May 2022, Segui filed to remove his children from Family Bridges and sought to reestablish his parenting time. In February 2023, he won joint legal custody

Family Bridges was founded by Randy Rand, a former psychologist who was divested of his license for 'unprofessional conduct'

In February 2023, at a hearing, the court decided that it was in Shai and Brock's best interest that Segui and Moniz have joint legal custody.

Segui attributed his success to his willingness to take on the courts.

'I say the things in court that other parents are scared to say,' he told Hansen. 'You fight, you do not comply or give in to their threats'.

Still, Segui, a former first baseman, is somewhat disappointed with the outcome. Before the court order, he enjoyed full custody.

'It should have been put back to where it was before this order. I had full custody'.

But since the latest custody arrangement was established, Moniz has seen very little of her children. 

'They each saw her for an hour on their birthdays and that was the last time,' Segui said. 'She’s only seen them twice since they got out of school last summer.'

Since her split with Segui, Moniz has been in a relationship with former professional baseball player Mark Grudzielanek (pictured), who has also been accused of child abuse

Segui said that Shai and Brock are delighted to be back in their father's care.

'They’ve been great. This is where they’ve always wanted to be and have said this is where they want to live.'

Shai Segui's legal claim observed that under a California law, approved in October, the type of program the Arizona court ordered him and his brother to attend would now be illegal.

Segui submitted his claim against Arizona in January. The mandatory 60-day period before further action can be taken has elapsed. Segui could now file a lawsuit any day.