‘Teen Mom’ Alum Jenelle Evans Has Experienced Custody and CPS Woes: Breaking Down the Drama

2010

MTV cameras documented Jenelle giving full custody of Jace to Barbara in 2010 when they concluded her wild lifestyle prevented her from being the best parent possible.

2017

Jenelle revealed that Barbara wasn’t invited to her wedding to David in 2017 due to the custody battle.

“I can’t forgive someone that’s just not going to give me back my son, so, and it’s still going on. It hasn’t been resolved,” she told Us Weekly at the time. “And if I had custody of him now maybe I would have invited her, but I’m not at the moment.”

2019

Jenelle and David had their first encounter with CPS in May 2019 when David shot their family’s dog after the pet nipped at Ensley.

Following the incident, a judge announced that Jace was not allowed at Jenelle’s home. Meanwhile, both Kaiser and Ensley were removed from the family’s home. However, the couple eventually got back custody of their kids in July of that year after they attended several court hearings.

March 2023

After fighting Barbara for years, the former reality star was granted custody of Jace in March 2023.

“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,” Jenelle told Us Weekly at the time.

The North Carolina native then stated that both she and Barbara agreed that “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.’ She has seen the way David parents my children and she knows we’re able to handle it,” the Teen Mom 2 alum continued. “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. We have officially signed the papers on Thursday, March 16th at the courthouse, it’s a done deal!”

August 15, 2023

Just five months after Jenelle was awarded custody, Jace was reported missing on August 15 by the Brunswick Co. Sheriff’s Department after he left school. He was eventually located “in the trees behind the school building,” according to his Snapchat location.

August 28, 2023

Jace was reported missing a second time just two weeks later on August 28. Jenelle called the police when she hadn’t heard from him for several hours. The teen was eventually found at a gas station near the family’s home.

September 28, 2023

Police were called to Jenelle’s house on the evening of September 28 after Jace was reported missing for a third time, according to TMZ. Jenelle told officers that he snuck out of the house through a window and stated he didn’t have his cell phone with him when he left the property.

Two days later, Jenelle told her social media followers that Jace had been located. Meanwhile, In Touch confirmed that she is now the subject of a CPS investigation.
“CPS got involved when Jace was checked into [the] hospital,” her manager exclusively confirmed to In Touch. “Jace is still in the hospital yes, they are doing a mental health evaluation.”

Jace claimed that he ran away after David allegedly “assaulted” him, according to an incident report from Columbus County Police ​obtained by The Ashley. Barbara shared the information with authorities after he went missing.

October 2, 2033

Both Jenelle and David have publicly denied Jace’s claims that he was assaulted. Jenelle reacted to the claims that David was involved by insisting that her mother said “a lot of untrue things.” She continued, “This isn’t about David whether you want to blame him or not. Imagine what you don’t hear from my side.”

She then accused Barbara of “using police to falsely report” the claims and alleged that the grandmother was “trying to make us look bad as a family.”

Meanwhile, David took to Instagram on October 3 to deny the accusation. “It takes a sick person to spread lies on the internet about a child! Then the rest of you are sick for chiming in like you know something because you read their lies,” he wrote via Instagram.“You people really need help! Our kids are in our custody and anything you read is not true!”

“Barbara is NOT involved and she is NOT allowed to speak to him right now,” David concluded. “The best thing any of you can do for Jace is to stop talking about him all together please! Thanks.”

October 3, 2023

Jenelle took to her Instagram Story on October 3 to slam claims that Jace was taken away from her.

“Idk why there’s rumors going around that Jace was removed from my custody because that is not true,” Jenelle, 31, wrote via her Instagram Story on October 3. “Not true. Stop making up false accusations about my family.”

She later reiterated the stance in a video posted on TikTok that same day. “You don’t know about any details of the situation. Yet all you guys want to do is sit here and continuously harass all my accounts,” Jenelle said. “My son was never taken from my custody. My son is still in my custody. I still have primary custody.”

The mother of three went on to address claims that she and David are being investigated for child neglect. “And if you don’t think I’m being thoroughly looked at right now, you have that wrong because I have already been checked,” Jenelle continued. “People have already been interviewed and the people that are personally involved in this situation know exactly what’s going on.”

October 4, 2023

Law enforcement told TMZ on October 4 that the couple was under investigation for child neglect following Jace’s disappearances.

Following his third runaway attempt, Jace visible marks were found on Jace’s neck and arm when he was taken to the hospital. Sources told the outlet that the alleged assault happened at someone else’s home, while a Ring camera on the property was taken by CPS and police amid the investigation.

October 24, 2023

David was charged with ​a children abuse misdemeanor after CPS found visible bruises on Jace during his hospitalization earlier that month.

After TMZ broke the news, Jenelle confirmed her husband was charged via Instagram Stories.

“You would think police wouldn’t make a one-sided police investigation,” she wrote at the time, claiming that authorities “didn’t conduct interviews” and “didn’t ask any information from the parents.

“This seems like a very bias situation like every time before. I trusted that detective with all my heart. Forgot you can’t trust cops … silly me,” her statement continued. “I do not trust anyone around me. Going MIA for awhile.”

January 2024

David was indicted on child abuse charges during a January 10 hearing. “They found enough evidence to take his case out of district court, where misdemeanors are held, and bring it to superior,” a clerk of the court told In Touch about the escalation.

February 2024

Jenelle took to social media on February 15 to announce that CPS dropped their case against her husband.

“All allegations against me and my husband have been officially dropped,” she said in an emotional TikTok video. “I’m focusing on Jace’s mental health and I want to focus solely on his mental health right now,” she continued, adding that she needs to “control the narrative.”

Five days later, Jenelle shared another TikTok video showing her and Jace reunited, along with her two other children, Kaiser and Ensley.