Bruce Glikas/Getty Images ; Courtesy of Jenelle Evans/Instagram
‘Teen Mom’ Alum David Eason Charged With Child Abuse Involving Jenelle Evans’ Son Jace
Teen Mom 2 alum Jenelle Evans‘ husband David Eason has been charged with misdemeanor child abuse involving her son Jace Evans. He is due in court in Columbus County on November 29, according to court records viewed by In Touch.
The charge comes after Child Protective Services (CPS) and North Carolina’s Columbus County Police got involved amid the 14-year-old’s third runaway attempt on September 28, where he was later hospitalized after visible marks were reportedly found on his neck and arm.
Jenelle, 31, appeared to confirm the abuse charge via her Instagram Stories one hour later, writing, “You would think police wouldn’t make a one sided police investigation. They didn’t conduct interviews. Didn’t ask any information from the parents. She continued, “This seems like a very bias situation like every time before. I trusted the detective with all my heart. Forgot you can’t trust cops. Silly me. I do not trust anyone around me. Going MIA for a while.”
Representatives for Jenelle and David, 35, did not immediately respond to In Touch’s request for comment.
“CPS got involved when Jace was checked into [the] hospital,” Jenelle’s manager, August Keen, exclusively told In Touch on October 2, confirming that the teen received medical attention, adding, “Jace is still in the hospital yes, they are doing a mental health evaluation.”
Jace allegedly told his grandmother, Barbara Evans, that David assaulted him. “Made contact with Barbara who advised [Jace] was not at the residence…” the police report stated, according to The Ashley. “She advised that she had spoken to [Jace] earlier in the evening when he called from an unknown number and told her about being assaulted by David Eason and that he ran away and was hiding.”
The teen – whom Jenelle, shares with Andrew Lewis – had run away two times prior to the incident that led to his hospitalization. He was first reported missing on August 15 by the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Department after he was seen leaving school around 2:45 p.m. and didn’t return home. Jace was later located “in the trees behind the school building,” according to his location on Snapchat.
He disappeared again on August 28, when Jenelle reported him missing and contacted the police after she hadn’t heard from her son for several hours. Jace was later found at a gas station about 10 minutes away from their home.
For her part, Jenelle has defended David, against the abuse allegations, giving her husband “props” for having “the most patience I’ve ever seen,” in a TikTok video shared on October 15.
“He is being accused of some horrible, horrible s–t that is not true. I was there, my kids were there, everyone was there. You guys have no idea about the details,” she continued. “It just makes me really sad for David. Because David is like, he’s just taking all of these punches, rolling with it, not saying s–t. I don’t blame him, and I feel really bad for him because my kids adore that man. My kids love that man so much.”
In addition to Jace, Jenelle shares a daughter, Ensley, 7, with David and shares son Kaiser, 9, with ex-boyfriend Nathan Griffith. The former MTV star did not have custody of Jace for most of his life, as he was raised by Barbara. She finally gained custody of her oldest child in March.
“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 on March 18. “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.’”
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