Jenelle Evans' Epic Custody Battle with Mom Barbara: Untangling the Complicated Web of 'Teen Mom 2' Drama

Jenelle Evans, a former cast member of Teen Mom 2, has been engaged in a custody battle with her mother, Barbara Evans, for over a decade regarding their son, Jace. This disagreement, along with various other issues, has caused ongoing conflicts between them.

In August 2009, after giving birth to her first child, Jenelle made the decision to grant legal custody of Jace to her mother. This emotional and intense event was documented on an episode of the reality TV show 16 and Pregnant, which aired in 2010. During this challenging time, Jenelle recognized that she required her mother's assistance in raising Jace, as she prioritized her social life and spent time partying with friends. Notably, Jace's father, Andrew Lewis, has chosen not to be a part of his son's life.

Jenelle and Barbara fought over Jace for over a decade until March 2023, when it was revealed that Jenelle was granted custody of him in a joint decision with her mom. This decision was made as part of a peace-making agreement to rebuild their mother-daughter relationship. Jenelle, who also has children with her ex and husband, spoke exclusively to Us at the time, explaining how both she and her mom believe it is time for Jace to be reunited with his siblings and to live with a mother and father. They both feel it is important for Jace to have a father figure to learn "boy things" and engage in "men talk." Barbara has observed David's parenting and is confident that they can handle it.

Despite experiencing moments of apparent reconciliation over the years, Barbara and Jenelle consistently find themselves engaging in renewed conflicts. Continue scrolling to explore their most significant ups and downs.

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'Teen Mom 2' Alum Jenelle Evans’ Ups and Downs With Mom Barbara Evans: Custody Battle Over Jace and More


Jenelle Evans, a former cast member of Teen Mom 2, has been engaged in a long-standing custody battle with her mother, Barbara Evans, over her son Jace for more than ten years. In addition to this ongoing dispute, the two have encountered various other conflicts.

Upon the birth of her firstborn in August 2009, Jenelle made the decision to grant legal custody of Jace to her own mother. This emotionally charged event was featured on an episode of 16 and Pregnant, a reality show she appeared on in 2010. At that time, the North Carolina native recognized the need for her mother's support in raising Jace, as she prioritized a social life with her friends. Notably, Jace's father, Andrew Lewis, is not involved in his son's life.

After years of feuding, Jenelle and her mother, Barbara, finally reached an agreement in March 2023. Jenelle was granted custody of her oldest son, Jace, in a joint decision intended to repair their relationship. This decision also came from the belief that it was time for Jace to be reunited with his siblings and live with both a mother and father figure. Barbara observed David's parenting abilities and was confident in their ability to provide a stable environment for Jace. Jenelle shared her excitement about this new chapter in her family's life.

Despite experiencing moments of apparent reconciliation and other instances over the years, it appears that Barbara and Jenelle inevitably find themselves embroiled in conflicts once again. Continue scrolling to witness their significant fluctuations:

Credit: Courtesy Barbara Evans/Instagram

2009

After the arrival of her son Jace in September 2009, her already strained relationship with her mom took a turn for the worse. Barbara assumed the responsibility of looking after the little one while Jenelle indulged in her partying lifestyle.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock; YouTube

2014

After her breakup with Delp, Jenelle faced further conflicts between Barbara and Griffith. In a controversial episode of Teen Mom 2, Griffith went as far as accusing Jenelle's mother of introducing her to heroin. Barbara swiftly responded, defending herself and firmly stating, "I didn't put a needle in her arm."

Credit: Splash

2011

The relationship between Barbara and Jenelle became even more tense when Barbara, a mother of three, started using heroin. Barbara tearfully accused Jenelle of stealing her credit cards, all while trying to assist her daughter in overcoming her addiction, as the Teen Mom 2 cameras captured the heartbreaking moments.

Credit: Splash

2015

The mother-daughter duo appeared to be on good terms at the 2015 MTV VMAs as Jenelle brought her mom as her date to the awards show.

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

2016

Barbara called Eason “the worst boyfriend” her daughter’s ever had while on an episode of TM2 after he slammed a door in her face amid a fight.

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

2017

Jenelle disclosed exclusively to Us the reason behind her mother's absence at her wedding to Eason in September 2017. "I cannot forgive someone who refuses to return my son to me. The issue is still ongoing and remains unresolved," explained the YouTube personality. "Maybe if I had custody of him now, I would have extended an invitation to her, but currently, I do not."

Credit: Courtesy Barbara Evans/Instagram

January 2019

In yet another instance of reconciliation, Jenelle and Barbara enjoyed each other's company, sharing laughs and sipping wine during a live social media session. While fans rejoiced at witnessing the positive interaction between the mother and daughter, they were less than amused by Barbara's joke about harboring ill intentions towards their Teen Mom 2 co-star, Kailyn Lowry.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

June 2019

In the midst of escalating custody conflicts, Kaiser and Ensley were temporarily taken away from Jenelle and Eason's residence in North Carolina following the tragic incident involving the shooting and death of their dog Nugget. Speaking exclusively to Us outside the courthouse, Jenelle expressed her belief that her relationship with her mother has been irreparably damaged.

She further added, "The way my mother is treating me is not how a mother should behave. She fiercely advocates for my sister and brother, who have significant problems, while neglecting my own circumstances."

Barbara, on the other hand — who obtained temporary custody of Ensley during that period — expressed in a video obtained by TMZ that Jenelle merely insisted on embracing her little girl to appear favorable on television. “It’s solely for the cameras,” she alleged. (Jenelle informed Us that she remains clueless as to why her mother would make such a statement.)

Credit: Splash, Shutterstock

March 2021

After reuniting with Eason, their relationship took a turn for the worse once again, especially with Barbara. Although they initially maintained a cordial relationship when Jenelle returned from Tennessee following her separation from Eason, tensions quickly escalated between mother and daughter regarding Jace. Jenelle made the decision to take legal action and requested to keep the case private, expressing concern for Jace's well-being.

She confided in Us that she and Barbara were presently not on speaking terms, sharing that their communication was limited to coordinating Jace's pickup and drop-off at the Easons' residence during weekends.

Credit: Courtesy Jenelle Evans/Instagram

July 2022

Jenelle garnered attention when she expressed her dissatisfaction with her mother on social media. In a TikTok post, she wrote, "It's disheartening when your own mother fails to acknowledge your achievements." This came after fans noticed Barbara's advice to Teen Mom actress Kayla Sessler, cautioning her to avoid succumbing to fame and wasting her money, which implied that Jenelle had done so in an Instagram Live video shared by Sessler.

Credit: Courtesy Barbara Evans/Instagram

November 2022

When Barbara attempted to share an anecdote about Kaiser on an episode of Teen Mom: Girls Night In, fans found the story concerning.

Last week, Jenelle excitedly told me about an incident involving Kaiser. She shared how he unexpectedly called 911 and got connected to an operator," she recounted to Farrah Abraham's mother, Debra Danielsen.

Curious, Barbara inquired, "And what did he say?"

"He shockingly replied, 'Go suck my d—k,'" she revealed.

Credit: Courtesy Jenelle Evans/Instagram

February 2023

Barbara and Jenelle had a court date on February 20, Us confirmed amid rumors that their custody arrangement over Jace was changing.

Credit: Courtesy of Jenelle Evans

March 2023

Jenelle, 31, exclusively revealed to We on Saturday, March 18, that she and her mother, Barbara, have jointly agreed to transfer custody of Jace back to Jenelle. The decision was made in order to rebuild their mother-daughter relationship. Barbara also believes it is important for Jace to have a father figure in his life to learn about "boy things" and engage in conversations about men. After observing David's parenting skills, Barbara is confident in their ability to provide a supportive environment for Jace. Their main objective is to create a harmonious atmosphere for the children and, as mentioned earlier, restore their mother-daughter bond.

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

August 2023

Five months after Jenelle was granted custody of Jace, the teen went missing and was reported as a runaway. He was found safe hours later.

According to Jenelle's statement, she explained that he ran away after she confiscated his phone due to his school trouble. She also denied her mother's claims to TMZ that Jace hadn't been taking his ADHD medication or attending therapy since she gained custody. Jenelle mentioned that she had stopped communicating with Barbara three weeks ago and Barbara has not been in contact with Jace since Monday. Jenelle emphasized that Barbara has no knowledge of the current situation in her home and hasn't made any effort to directly speak to Jace. Additionally, Jenelle mentioned that Jace had a therapist appointment scheduled on Zoom at 10:30 a.m.

Credit: ason Davis/Getty Images; Courtesy of Jenelle Evans/Instagram

September 2023

Jenelle allegedly made an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a restraining order against her mother. Just days afterwards, when Jace made his third runaway attempt in the span of two months, Jenelle alerted the authorities about his disappearance and allegedly expressed her suspicion that Barbara might be concealing him.

According to the police report, Barbara informed the authorities that Jace was not at the residence. She mentioned that Jace had contacted her and expressed that he was "hiding" from Eason. The document further noted that Barbara had spoken to Jace earlier in the evening when he called from an unidentified number. During the conversation, Jace informed her about being assaulted by David Eason and mentioned that he had fled and was currently in hiding.

Jenelle's accusations towards her mother include lying to the police and she clarifies that Jace's recent disappearance is not related to David.

She expressed her confusion over her mother's behavior and questioned why she is resorting to making false reports to the police, with the intention of tarnishing the image of their family. This tweet was posted by Jenelle in October 2023, where she also mentions that multiple individuals are aware of the truth, including God.

She further alleged that Barbara has “not tried speaking or visiting my kids since July.”