Who are Kyle Rittenhouse's parents? All about his family as father denies domestic battery allegations 

On November 10, 2021, Kyle Rittenhouse was present in court to attend the hearing of his ongoing murder trial. The teenager has been accused of fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during the 'Jacob Blake protests' in Kenosha last year.

In the latest trial, the accused and his mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, broke down in tears during his testimony as the former claimed his actions were not “wrong” and only part of his “self-defense” strategy.

Kyle’s mother has been actively campaigning to prove his innocence since 2020 and defending her son on self-defense grounds. Wendy even called out U.S. President Joe Biden for calling her son an “extremist” and launched the “Free Kyle” website to support him.

Initial reports mentioned that Wendy drove Kyle Rittenhouse to the protest grounds on the day of the incident. However, the claims were later dismissed after she asked her son to turn himself in upon his return home.

While Wendy Rittenhouse has been a prominent face throughout the trial, Kyle Rittenhouse’s father, Michael Rittenhouse, was largely absent from the scene. Amid the ongoing proceedings, it was revealed that the latter was once charged with alleged domestic battery but denied the allegations.

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A look into Kyle Rittenhouse's parents and family

Kyle grew up with his two siblings, Faith and McKenzie (Image via Getty Images)

Kyle Rittenhouse was born to Wendy and Michael “Mike” Rittenhouse in 2003. He grew up with his siblings, Faith (21) and McKenzie (17). His parents tied the knot in 2000 but eventually parted ways after welcoming the three children together.

As reported by The New Yorker, Mike previously worked as a machine operator and struggled with substance abuse. The outlet also mentioned that he was charged with domestic battery after allegedly punching Wendy in the stomach. However, Mike refuted the claims and all charges against him were dropped.

Following the divorce, Wendy stayed in Illinois with her children while Mile moved to Kenosha. She worked as a certified nursing assistant while raising her children as a single mother. In 2014, she filed a legal petition seeking child support from Mike.

The latter was then asked to provide $85 per week to support his children. The New Yorker also mentioned that Wendy suffers from dyslexia and was evicted in 2018 due to her struggles with money. That same year, she filed for bankruptcy and also ended up in the hospital after an attempted overdose.

Kyle Rittenhouse’s father reportedly wanted to connect with his estranged family in recent years but has stayed away from his son’s sensational trial so far. As per Kyle’s attorney, the teenager went to meet his father on the night of the shooting.

Meanwhile, Wendy is continuing to fight for her son’s “innocence” in the case with an emphasis on “self-defense”. She previously told ABC that her son is not a "monster":

"He’s not a monster... He didn’t, he didn’t do anything wrong. If he didn't have that gun, he would have been dead… Point-blank. It was all self-defense. I saw it. If I wasn't his mother, I would have said the same thing - it was self-defense. He was chased by a bunch of mob."

Kyle Rittenhouse is facing six counts of criminal charges for “first-degree reckless homicide” and “first-degree intentional homicide”. His attorney Corey Chirafisi has appealed for a "mistrial with prejudice", with a final court decision currently impending.