Jenelle Evans Slams Mom Barbara After Son Jace’s Runaway Incident: ‘Do Not Believe Anything’ She Says

Teen Mom 2 alum Jenelle Evans is speaking out against her mom, Barbara Evans, as rumors swirl in the aftermath of Jenelle’s son Jace running away and being found. 

On Thursday, August 17, Jenelle, 31, took to Facebook to vent about Barbara, 70, speaking to reporters about Jace’s disappearance. “Cut my own mother off again, and she has to keep going with the articles,” Jenelle wrote in a Facebook status. “Doesn’t call to check up, doesn’t ask me how he is, but talks to TMZ to give updates she knows nothing about.”

Jenelle continued, “Please do not believe anything my mother is saying to the media at this time. The truth will prevail and I’ll soon tell you when the time is right.” She also shared the Facebook post on her Instagram Stories.

Jenelle did not specify which “updates” Barbara has given. However, her post seems to be in reference to Barbara telling TMZ on Thursday that she believed Jenelle’s alleged decision to take Jace, 14, “off ADHD meds” may have led to him running away. Barbara said Jace had been on the medication for seven years and was seeing a behavioral specialist, which “had seemingly been working well for the teen,” the report stated. However, Jenelle allegedly took Jace off the medication and stopped his appointments with the specialist when she regained full custody of her son in March. Before that, Barbara had custody of Jace for more than a decade. 

Jenelle disputed Barbara’s claims, telling TMZ, “Barbara has not been in contact with Jace since Monday. I have cut off contact with her as of three weeks ago. Barbara doesn’t have any idea what is going on inside my home. Jace had a therapist appointment today on Zoom at 10:30 a.m. … she hasn’t even attempted to speak to Jace directly.”

Jace was reported as a runaway by Brunswick Co. Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday, August 15. He was last seen leaving school around 2:45 p.m. that day, wearing either a gray sweatshirt or a navy shirt, according to authorities. Jace was found and reported safe hours later, In Touch confirmed at the time.

“As a boy mom, kids can act up and rebel as I’m sure the majority of us all once did as kids too,” Jenelle said in a statement following the startling news. “Jace got in trouble at school, we decided to take his phone away, and that’s when he decided to run off. Jace is a good kid and we’re not dealing with anything that most families don’t deal with while raising children … This is a teenage boy being a teenager mad that we decided to take his phone away.”

There have been several rumors and reports about the incident, with some fans wondering if Jace’s disappearance had to do with marital drama between Jenelle and her husband, David Eason, who is Jace’s stepfather. Jenelle denied this in her statement, saying the runaway incident had “absolutely nothing to do” with her and David’s marriage.

A police report obtained by In Touch also claimed Jace was found when officers received a tip that his Snapchat location showed him “in the trees behind the school building.” However, Jenelle denied this claim.

“My son was not found ‘because of Snapchat,’” Jenelle wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, August 16. “There are a lot of rumors going around about what happened. I would like to take this time to give my son privacy and appreciate if the public would do the same.”