Getty Images (1); Courtesy of Jenelle Evans/Instagram (2)
‘Teen Mom’ Alum Jenelle Evans’ Son Jace Found After Reported Missing for 3rd Time
Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans’ son Jace Evans has been found after running away for a third time.
Law enforcement was called to Jenelle’s house on Thursday, September 28, around 8 p.m. after Jace, 14, was reported missing, according to TMZ. Jenelle, 31, told officers that her eldest son snuck out of the house through a window and noted he didn’t have his cell phone with him at the time of his disappearance.
Jenelle offered an update two days later, telling social media followers that her son had been located. However, In Touch confirmed that the Teen Mom star is now the subject of a Child Protective Services (CPS) investigation.
“CPS got involved when Jace was checked into [the] hospital,” Jenelle’s manager exclusively confirmed to In Touch. “Jace is still in the hospital yes, they are doing a mental health evaluation.”
According to an incident report from Columbus County Police obtained by The Ashley, Jace claimed that he ran away for a third time after his stepfather, David Eason, allegedly “assaulted” him.
This is not the first time Jace, whom Jenelle shares with ex Andrew Lewis, has run away. He was first reported missing by Brunswick Co. Sheriff’s Department on August 15. At the time, Jace was seen leaving school around 2:45 p.m. and was eventually located “in the trees behind the school building” per his location on Snapchat.
Two weeks later, the family experienced another scare when Jace was reported missing a second time on August 28. Jenelle contacted police when she grew concerned after not hearing from Jace for several hours. Jace was later found at a gas station located about 10 minutes away from the home Jenelle lives at with her kids and husband David.
“Jenelle is a momma bear raising a teenage boy. Jace likes exploring his extensive property that has woods, lakes,” the former MTV star’s manager, August Keen, said in a statement to In Touch following Jace’s second disappearance. “He decided to explore too far. Jenelle got worried and called the police after he didn’t come back before it became dark.”
The former reality star opened up about Jace’s disappearances and claimed she was “getting a lot of hate” and “a lot of comments,” adding that her son’s actions were “being pinned against” her in a TikTok video posted on August 30.
Jenelle didn’t share specifics about the situation, though implied that she found inappropriate content on her son’s Snapchat. “I will say one thing: Monitor your kids’ phones,” she told her followers. “Because, you know, I monitor my kid’s phone, and sometimes they get in trouble. Sometimes they get it taken away for consequences to their actions, right?”
“But sometimes they don’t take that too lightly and sometimes kids get really mad about their phones if you take them away,” Jenelle continued. She then stated that many teens are dependent on their phones and even compared it to an “addiction.”
Jenelle continued to share insight into the situation by stating “there was a big reason why” her mother, Barbara Evans, gave her back full custody of Jace of Jace in March. “My son has been having a hard time for the past two, three years,” she said. “None of this has gone public because we’re trying to keep his privacy — me and my mom.”
While Jenelle didn’t share much information about her “son’s mental health,” she insisted that he “is fine, he’s healthy and he’s safe.”
In addition to Jace, the Teen Mom 2 alum shares son Kaiser with ex Nathan Griffith and daughter Ensley with David, 35.
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