RHOC's Gina Kirschenheiter Gives Emotional Statement in Court After Ex-Husband Pled Guilty to Domestic Battery

"I thought I was going to die."

"The Real Housewives of Orange County" star Gina Kirschenheiter broke down in tears while delivering a statement in court after her ex-husband Matt pled guilty to domestic battery, according to Us Weekly.

On Tuesday, Gina and Matt appeared in Orange County Superior Court. Matt -- who previously denied all charges and pled not guilty -- changed his plea to guilty on one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury of a spouse in addition to guilty to one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, or deceit.

Gina, 37, gave a victim impact statement in front of the judge and became emotional as she detailed her ex-husband's abusive behavior from the night of June 22, 2019.

"It's hard," began the reality star, who was already in tears. "I thought I was going to die. I still get chills thinking about how I begged you to, 'Stop. Think about the kids.' And you responded by saying, 'Your mom is going to die tonight.' It echoes in my brain, and it sinks deep in my heart. That night, it literally felt like I was in a house with a stranger whom I'd never met before. Your eyes were completely black, and you were not Matt. It was so hard for me to believe that it was even you, but it was."

"It's taken me a lot of time, self-care, and therapy to work through what happened that night, but I have managed to forgive you for most of it," she continued. "I accept that I will always have this painful memory from that night. I've come to terms with that."

However, the Bravo star went on to add that she's having "a really hard time" ultimately forgiving Matt because of how his "poor choices and actions" will affect their children: Nicholas, 8, Sienna, 6, and Luca, 5. However, for the sake of their kids, Gina said she will "keep trying" to forgive her ex-husband.

"To think that Nicolas, Sienna, and Luca will one day grow up to know what happened that night breaks my heart," Gina said. "The thought of our children having to think about what their dad did to their mom that night is so painful to me and it's so unfair to them. As a result of your poor choices and actions, our whole family now has to pay the consequences. And I'm having a really hard time forgiving you for the impact that this has had and will continue to have on our children. With that said, because of Nicholas, Sienna and Luca, I'm willing to keep trying to forgive you."

Matt, 37, was sentenced to 180 days in county jail, but he doesn't have to serve time if he agrees to three years of probation, completing a 52-week batterers program and wearing a bracelet monitor for 178 days. In addition, he "cannot harass or threaten" Gina as noted in a "peaceful contact protective order."

On the night of June 22, 2019, Gina and Matt had an argument at Gina's home, during which Gina alleged Matt choked her, hit her, dragged her, threw her and threatened to kill her -- all while their three young children were asleep in the other room. Gina filed a restraining order.

Matt was later arrested in September 2019 and charged with two felony counts of domestic violence. At the time, he denied all charges and pled not guilty.

Gina and Matt filed for divorce in July 2018 after eight years of marriage. In the summer of 2019, the former couple decided to give their relationship another shot, before the incident.

During the Season 14 "RHOC" reunion, Gina detailed what she claims went down. The Bravo star -- who has been a cast member of "RHOC" since Season 13 in 2018 -- broke down as she emotionally recalled the evening in question, which ultimately led to their separation.

"He just was like a different person. I was really scared," she said at the time, adding, "I ran out of the house and I rang my neighbor's doorbell and I was banging on the door. And he dragged me back in the house."

"A lot of the neighbors heard," she continued. "They all called the police and then the cops came, they arrested him. It was scary. It was really scary."

Gina and Matt finalized their divorce in December 2019.