Exclusive: Briana DeJesus Reveals Heartbreaking Decision Behind Sister Brittany's Adoption of Daughter Stella
Briana DeJesus reveals her emotional decision to ask her sister, Brittany, to adopt her daughter Stella in the heartfelt 'Teen Mom: The Next Chapter' reunion
Briana DeJesus and Brittany DeJesus Getty Images; Courtesy of Brittany DeJesus/Instagram
Teen Mom star Briana DeJesus opened up about her decision to have her sister, Brittany DeJesus, adopt her 6-year-old daughter, Stella. In the two-part Teen Mom: The Next Chapter reunion that aired on Wednesday, October 11, Briana revealed that she made this choice due to Stella's father's lack of presence in her life. (Briana, 29, shares Stella with her ex, Luis Hernandez.)
Briana shared with hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Nessa that the last time she saw Stella was at the daddy/daughter dance, which feels like a distant memory. She expressed that there is no emotional love coming from Stella's father, so her main focus is on protecting her daughter. Brittany, who agreed to adopt Stella as per her sister's request, added that because Stella and Nova do not have the same father, there is a potential risk of them being separated in the unfortunate event of something happening to Briana. It's worth noting that Briana also shares a daughter named Nova, who is 12 years old, with her ex Devoin Austin, who was present at the reunion as well.
"Right from the start, I made it clear to her, 'Include me in the paperwork'," Brittany, 31, emphasized. "I wouldn't allow any separation between them. I cherish them as if they were my own."
This is the same feeling Brittany expressed earlier in the season, soon after Briana mentioned the possibility of adoption.
“Clearly, there was no need for you to ask. If I had woken up tomorrow, you would have simply stated, ‘You’re a mother,’ and my response would have been, ‘Alright.’” Brittany expressed on the September 27 episode. “That’s an absolute certainty.”
Courtesy of Briana DeJesus/Instagram
Brittany was in agreement with the plan, but obstacles presented themselves due to Florida law. Briana's lawyer previously informed her that Luis' parental rights could potentially be terminated through "second parent adoption," which involves another family member adopting the child. However, he also mentioned that the courts had put a halt to this option, making it impractical for Briana at that time. When Dr. Drew inquired about her intentions to pursue the matter further, Briana reiterated that it was not possible due to Florida law.
Briana clarified the situation, stating that there was one exception - if she were to marry someone, that individual would have the opportunity to adopt Stella. In response, Brittany playfully speculated, suggesting Devoin as a potential candidate.
"She jokingly commented, 'If they both sort out their problems, I wouldn't be upset about it. If it's meant to happen, then it's meant to happen.'"
"In the meantime, Briana and Devoin are open to the idea of reigniting their relationship, but only after they have addressed their individual concerns," Briana informed the hosts.
“We’ll see what happens,” she said coyly, to which Devoin replied, “I got forever.”
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