Jenelle Evans is in hot water with her fans after she revealed her son Jace Evans’ mental health history online as some accused her of exposing his struggles and not respecting his right to privacy.
“Not like it’s anyone’s business, but recently I sent my 15-year-old son to live with his father in Florida,” Jenelle, 33, said in a video posted to TikTok on Tuesday, May 13.
Jenelle has faced criticism from fans following her decision to send her teenage son to live with his father, Andrew Lewis, in Florida. The Teen Mom alum addressed backlash over her son’s move, revealing that fans bombarded her with questions, demanding to know why she couldn’t “handle him.”
“My son has been dealing with mental health disorders since he’s been 10 years old. He was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 10,” she recalled. “Most recently in 2023, he was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, along with his ADHD and defiant disorder.”
The reality TV personality explained that the “incidents,” which she didn’t elaborate on, began when Jace was 10 years old and described the situation as “pretty bad.” Jenelle told her followers that Child Protective Services (CPS) gave her custody after Jace “acted out at every household he went too,” which eventually led CPS to “throw their hands up and drop the case,” granting her custody.
After Jenelle relocated to Las Vegas, things were calm for “three to four weeks” — until another incident shattered the peace. Following several troubling episodes, the Teen Mom alum said she finally reached out to Jace’s father.
“I said, ‘Hey, I need help,’ ” she recalled. “I was in a panic attack. I was crying my eyes out, and I was like, ‘For once, I need your help. I need you to take over this situation because all of us have put forth effort into as much as we can give.'”
Fans in the comment section were not empathic to Jenelle’s situation and slammed her for publicly airing out her son’s mental health history.
“Let’s normalize not blasting our children’s mental health problems w/o their consent,” one critic wrote. Meanwhile, another added, “But why is she exposing him now? His privacy doesn’t matter anymore?”
“Man he’s still a child. I couldn’t imagine my mom telling the entire world what I was doing as a teenager,” a third quipped.
Jenelle regained custody of her son in 2023. At the time, the influencer said she and her mother, Barbara Evans, “decided together” that she would take over guardianship.
Just five months after regaining custody, however, Jenelle became the target of mom-shamers after Jace ran away three times in his first six months of fully living with Jenelle. Things have only escalated, as sources told The Sun on May 9 that Jenelle “put Jace on a plane” to his father Andrew’s home in Florida and he’s “been with Andrew since.”
“It’s the summertime, and as of now, it’s a temporary situation, so Jace doesn’t need to be enrolled in school at the moment,” the source told The Sun. “The timing worked out that he doesn’t have to start a new school immediately. But Andrew has begun the process of looking into where Jace may possibly enroll.”
The outlet also reported that a judge would need to approve any custody transfer before Andrew, 38, could officially take over care of Jace. In the meantime, the teen is expected to return to his mother’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada, in June 2025 for a check-in, where further decisions will be made.
Jenelle responded to criticism in her TikTok video and defended her parenting decisions, noting that she only went public because there have been “multiple incidents for years and years and years,” adding, “something had to be done.”
“You guys are looking at it as a negative situation, but everyone behind closed doors is looking at it as a positive thing for him,” Jenelle explained.
“So, you guys can say all you want,” she continued. “You can say I’m not taking care of my kids. Being a mother is doing the best interest for your child, and I am going the best interest for my child. Thank you.”
The latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2025 showcases inspiring stories of remarkable women who redefine beauty, strength, and resilience, like Salma Hayek Pinault, Olivia Dunne, Jordan Chiles, Lauren Chan, Alix Earle, Ilona Maher, Suni Lee, Hunter McGrady and more! With stunning photography and narrative depth, the issue goes beyond visuals, highlighting authenticity and the power of vulnerability. Purchase your physical and/or digital copy today!
