Heavy/Getty/NBCUniversal Kathy Hilton, Kyle Richards, and Kim Richards.
Fans of former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kim Richards wished her a happy 60th birthday on September 19, 2024, but her famous sisters, Kathy Hilton and Kyle Richards did not—at least not publicly.
And that was a big clue that something was awry with the famous siblings ahead of reports that Kim Richards was placed on a 5150 “psych hold” and is now cut off from all contact with her family.
On September 27, a source told People magazine that Kim Richards’ “reliance on alcohol has been an ongoing source of conflict between her and her sisters” and that a recent relapse has the family trying to break an ongoing cycle with her.
“The family are very private about details. But from the little they’ve said, it’s clear they’ve reached another breaking point with her,” the insider told the outlet. “This has happened before,” the source added, noting that Kim is “in a very bad place” right now.
Heavy has reached out to a rep for Kim Richards for comment.
In past years, the celebrity sisters have posted sweet birthday messages for each other on Facebook and Instagram. But there was silence on Kim’s big day, and now fans know why.
Kim Richards’ Sisters Sent Her Birthday Messages in 2023 & Many Other Years
Kim Richards and her sisters are known for posting birthday messages to each other on social media. On September 19, 2017, Kyle Richards posted a throwback childhood photo of her and Kim to Facebook with the caption, “Happy birthday to my sister @kimrichards11 wishing you health, happiness, peace & love love you.”
In 2018, Kyle shared a series of throwback photos of her sister, including some with their dad, Ken Richards. “Happy Birthday Kim Richards], I hope this year is magical and brings you much love, health & happiness. Love you!” Kyle wrote.
That same year, Hilton posted a photo of her hugging her younger sister.
“Happy happy birthday! I love you so much, wishing you the best year yet! I’m proud of you and to be your sister,” Hilton captioned the photo.
In 2019, Kyle Richards posted to Instagram to share photos of her and Kim from an audition for the 1977 movie “The Car.” The real-life sisters played James Brolin’s character’s daughters in the horror film.
“Happy birthday @kimrichards11,” Kyle wrote. “Do you remember the audition we had for this first photo? It was the movie The Car and the director asked if we ever fight and if we did what was it like…. we proceeded to bite, scratch and almost kill each other 😹 We have had good times and bad but, in the end, we are sisters, and nothing can change that 👯 I hope you have a very happy birthday, and all your wishes comes true ❤️.”
And in 2023, Kyle posted her Instagram story to wish her big sister a happy 59th birthday. According to Reality Blurb, she shared a throwback photo and a recent photo of the two at Kim Richards’ daughter Whitney’s wedding to Luke Graham White.
“Happy Birthday [Kim Richards] may all of your wishes come true. I love you,” Kyle Richards wrote. “Hoping your day was magical.”
Kim Richards’ Latest Troubles Started in Early September 2024, Weeks Before She Turned 60
GettyKim Richards and Kathy Hilton.
Kim Richards has a history of substance abuse. Her struggles with alcoholism were detailed in the early seasons of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” In the season 1 finale, Kyle outed her secret during a shocking argument in a limo. According to Us Weekly, Kim Richards went to rehab, then relapsed in 2015. She claimed to be sober in recent years. In RHOBH cameos, she said she was focused on her grandchildren.
According to Us Weekly in April 2024, since leaving her full-time role on RHOBH in 2015, Kim Richards has continued to “work on maintaining her sobriety.”
Her milestone 60th birthday came days before TMZ reported she displayed erratic behavior while staying at a Hilton hotel and was placed on a “5150 psych hold” at a California hospital. The outlet reported that the family cut off all contact with Kim Richards with the hopes that she would get sober. The former child star was also asked to vacate a house owned by her sister Kyle Richards after a dispute this week.
In California, a 5150 hold allows for a 72-hour “involuntary psychiatric evaluation and temporary detention of individuals who are deemed to be a danger to themselves to others, or gravely disabled,” per Clear Behavioral Health.
In addition to her sisters, Kim Richards has four grown children: Brooke Wiederhorn, Chad Davis, Whitney Davis, and Kimberly Jackson. None of them appeared to acknowledge her big birthday on social media on September 19.
Fans reacted to question if anyone in the family is in contact with the “Escape to Witch Mountain” star.
“Where are Kim’s kids? They’re all adults now and should be taking charge of their mom’s care, rather than it falling on Kyle all the time,” one fan wrote on Instagram.
“It’s a possibility that they cut off contact with her, which is certainly their right. This may sound cold, but no one is obligated to take care of Kim. That Kyle takes care of her is Kyle’s choice,” another wrote.
Another fan wanted to know if Hilton has cut Kim Richards off too.
“[TMZ] says the entire family cut her off. So pretty sure Kathy and Kim’s kids cut her off too,” another replied.
All seemed well with the Richards/Hilton sisters in the past year. In January, the three posed for a sisters’ photoshoot. Weeks later, during a February 2024 appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” Kyle Richards hinted at the possibility of all three sisters on RHOBH together. “I know the fans want that a lot, so we shall see,” she teased.
In June 2024, Hilton told Us Weekly she was on the “best” possible terms with both of her sisters.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). The free, confidential, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service is available in English and Spanish for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
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Fans Missed Big Hint That There Was New Trouble With Kim Richards & Her Sisters