Teen Mom 2 alum Jenelle Evans denied that her son Jace Evans was found using his social media following his disappearance, despite what police are saying. 

“My son was not found ‘because of Snapchat,’” Jenelle, 31, shared via Facebook on Wednesday, August 16. “There are a lot of rumors going around about what happened. I would like to take this time to give my son privacy and appreciate if the public would do the same.”

Jace, 14, was reported missing after getting into an argument with his teacher on Tuesday, August 15. According to a police report obtained by In Touch, officers received a tip that Jace was “in the trees behind the school building” per his location on the social media app.

Fans were quick to notice inconsistencies in Jenelle’s story after she issued a statement claiming that Jace’s disappearance was due to having his cell phone taken away. “As a boy mom, kids can act up and rebel as I’m sure the majority of us all once did as kids too,” she said. “Jace got in trouble at school, we decided to take his phone away, and that’s when he decided to run off.”

She went on to say that Jace is “a good kid” and that their situation was normal. “We’re not dealing with anything that most families don’t deal with while raising children, this has absolutely nothing to do with my situation with David [Eason], we do not argue in front of our children or fight in front of our kids,” she continued. “This is a teenage boy being a teenager, mad that we decided to take his phone away.”

Jace’s temporary disappearance was the latest in a string of public drama surrounding the North Carolina-based family. Just last week, Jenelle and her husband, David, 35, began an online battle in which the former reality star revealed she felt “stuck” in her marriage

“Being around negative energy everyday all day is getting exhausting. I need to force myself to have friends because at this point I’m making myself introverted,” Jenelle, 31, shared via Facebook on August 11. 

David chimed in writing, “Yes get friends, give me space. I like to be alone!” to which Jenelle responded, “If you like to be alone stop begging me to be around me.”

She later accused her husband of stealing from her before changing her relationship status to “It’s Complicated.”

Just five months prior to the family upheaval, Jenelle and her family were rejoicing after she was granted full custody of her eldest son following a decade-long battle with her mother, Barbara Evans. The custody arrangement was official when the mother-daughter duo signed papers on March 16. 

“My mom and I decided together to grant full custody back to me because we want to build our relationship back as mother and daughter,” the 16 & Pregnant alum said at the time. “Also, my mother agrees it’s time for Jace to be back with his siblings and living with a mother and father. She also thinks it’s important for Jace to be around a father figure to learn ‘boy things’ and have ‘men talk.’”

According to Jenelle, Barbara felt she and David, 35, would be “able to handle it.” “We want to all get along for the sake of the children and like I said before, building back our relationship as mother and daughter,” Jenelle added. “It’s a done deal!”

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