Former supermodel Padma Lakshmi is said to be devastated after businessman Adam Dell, father of her 11-month-old daughter, went public with the custody battle.

"She said, 'I'm living in a nightmare'. She's a single working mother who is trying very hard to have a peaceful and calm environment for her daughter. The recent events are making it difficult, " people.com quoted a friend as saying.

Another source said Lakshmi, 40, has "encouraged Mr. Dell to be in Krishna's life. (Krishna) needs to know her father and have a consistent relationship with him."

Dell's attorney said that his client isn't interested in garnering attention, but simply getting more time with his daughter.

"There was no desire for publicity and Adam regrets that there is some - but (he) can't help it given that he was forced to go to court to assert his rights as a father, " said lawyer, Bill Zabel.

However, Lakshmi's attorney, Jay D. Silverstein is calling the facts laid out in Dell's court papers "inaccurate and misleading."

"Ms. Lakshmi looks forward to correcting the record in the courts, not the press. She is saddened and gravely disappointed that Mr. Dell has chosen a very public means of filing his petition with the court rather than doing so in a confidential or sealed manner, which is customary in cases involving a very young child, " Silverstein said in a statement.