Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors
Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans' eldest son, Jace, is speaking out for the first time about how he feels to finally be away from his mom's estranged husband, David Eason — and whether he resents his mom for his difficult childhood.
"I feel a lot safer without David," Jace, 15, told Jenelle in a new Teen Mom The Next Chapter clip posted by the show's official Instagram account on Thursday, September 12. Eason, 35, is currently facing a felony strangulation charge after Jace accused him of abuse in September 2023.
Jenelle and her family — including son Kaiser, 10, whom she shares with ex Nathan Griffith, and daughter Ensley, 7, whom she shares with Eason — are living in Las Vegas after moving from North Carolina following her March separation from Eason.
"I'm sorry it didn't happen sooner, but I was trying," Jenelle, 32, apologized to her eldest son in the clip.
"He's gone now, and like, I'm fine," Jace added.
"I remember you saying, 'I want all the drama to stop. CPS has been in my life since I've been little, I'm sick of them coming in and out,'" Jenelle recalled. "You said, 'I just want this all to be over.'"
Longtime fans of the hit series have followed Jenelle — and Jace's — journey since she welcomed her eldest child in August 2009. Just a few months after Jace was born, Jenelle signed over temporary custody of Jace to her mom, Barbara Evans, recognizing she was not able to be a fit parent to her son at the time due to her partying and substance abuse.
After over a decade of MTV-captured drama — including dozens of screaming matches and intense verbal altercations between Jenelle and Barbara, mostly arguing about Jenelle's ability (or perceived lack-thereof) to parent Jace — Barbara signed custody of a then-14-year-old Jace over to Jenelle in March 2023. Jace, who was then living with his mom, Eason, and half-siblings, ran away from home multiple times before claiming Eason attempted to strangle him last September.
In the clip, Jenelle spoke about her part in her son's rough upbringing.
"With me and Memé, it was like, arguing about you, and I know you were in the middle of all that," she shared. Jace nodded, explaining: "I just wanted everything to calm down and get to a good point … with everyone."
Jenelle then asked her son: "So do you feel any anger or resentment towards me?"
"Mmm….," Jace said, before responding. "At the time, I did, but now that we're out of all this, like, crazy drama, it's just calm, everything is good now."
As Jenelle apologized, she wanted her son to see her point of view as a teen mom who signed over custody to her own mother.
"Like, you know I've made tons of mistakes all my life, but I just want you to realize my intentions were never bad. I always tried hard to fight for you," Jenelle told Jace. "I just feel like you were robbed from me as a baby, you know? And I don't think it was fair."
The two ended the scene by exchanging hugs and "I love you"s.
While many fans were enraged over Jenelle using the word "robbed" in their situation — "He was not robbed from you,. you gave him to your mom to raise and failed many times to get him back," one person wrote — others were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"Still lacking the accountability but it's a start," another fan commented on the instagram clip.
"The fact that she apologized and said she's made a lot of mistakes is way more than most parents ever do. Its definitely a good start," a third person chimed in.
Others pointed out Jenelle's emotions in the footage.
"I think we may have just witnessed the first real flicker of shame and regret in Jenelle's eyes when Jace couldn't answer if he resents her…," a fourth user shared.
Others, even with their critiques, were hopeful for the future of Jenelle and Jace's relationship — and Jenelle's relationship with all of her kids.
"She said he was robbed from her as a baby!?! Girl, you gave him up as a baby!!! I hope she stops with all the blame games and gets it together for all her kids," another viewer commented.
"EVERYONE deserves a chance to redeem themselves!" shared a fan. "Rooting for you Jenelle, and of course her kiddos too! ."
