Jace Evans has been a household name since before he could even walk. We all remember the 16 and Pregnant episode where a young, defiant Jenelle Evans handed her newborn over to her mother, Barbara. It was supposed to be temporary. But "temporary" turned into thirteen years of legal warfare, screaming matches on gravel driveways, and a revolving door of father figures.
Honestly, it’s heartbreaking to watch a kid grow up in the crosshairs of a camera lens. People love to pick sides—Team Barb or Team Jenelle—but Jace is the one who actually had to live it. Now that he's 16, the narrative has shifted from "Who gets him?" to "Where is he safe?" and the answer has changed more times in the last year than most people realize.
The 2023 Victory That Didn't Last
In March 2023, Jenelle finally got what she’d been screaming for since 2009. She signed the papers. She got full custody of Jace. She posted TikToks with tears streaming down her face, claiming her "family was finally complete." It felt like a series finale, a rare win for the most controversial mom in the franchise.
But the "happily ever after" didn't even make it through the summer.
By August 2023, Jace started running away. Not just once. Three times in a matter of months. Then things got dark. Allegations surfaced that Jenelle’s then-husband, David Eason, had physically assaulted Jace. The details were messy—CPS got involved, David faced felony charges, and Jace was pulled out of the house. For a minute there, it looked like the cycle was starting all over again.
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Why Jace from Teen Mom is Currently Back with Barbara
If you haven't kept up with the 2025 updates, the situation in Las Vegas—where Jenelle moved to "start fresh"—was anything but peaceful. By April 2025, Jenelle was calling 911 on her own son. She claimed he was smashing doors and throwing dog cages down the stairs. It’s a far cry from the quiet kid we used to see staring at his Nintendo DS on MTV.
Jenelle tried a radical move: she sent him to Florida to live with his biological father, Andrew Lewis.
Remember Andrew? The guy who was basically a ghost for fifteen years? Yeah, that didn't work. The "Florida experiment" lasted about as long as a beach vacation. By late 2025, Jace was back in North Carolina. But he didn't go back to Jenelle’s "Land."
Jace is currently living with Barbara again. Reports from late 2025 and early 2026 suggest he’s finally finding some stability there. He’s got a job. He’s doing online school. He’s reportedly keeping up with his probation requirements. It’s wild to think that after a decade of legal battles to get him away from Barb, the safest place for a 16-year-old Jace turned out to be the exact same house he grew up in.
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The Reality of the "Generational Curse"
You can't talk about Jace without talking about the mental health toll. Jenelle recently went public about his diagnoses, mentioning ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
ODD is no joke. It makes kids incredibly reactive to authority. When you combine that with a childhood spent in front of reality TV cameras and a household that’s often in "chaos mode," you get a perfect storm. Critics of the show argue that MTV exploited his trauma for ratings, while others blame Jenelle’s choice in partners.
- The David Eason Factor: The assault allegations were a breaking point. Even after Jenelle split from David in 2024, the damage to her relationship with Jace was already done.
- The Leaked Texts: In August 2025, Jace reportedly leaked text messages where Jenelle called him "unstable" and told him "F*** YOU." It was a public explosion that showed just how fractured their bond had become.
- The Vegas Move: Moving a kid with ODD and depression away from his entire support system in North Carolina to a desert house in Vegas was, in hindsight, a disaster.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Custody
People think Barbara "stole" Jace. They don't realize Jenelle voluntarily signed over custody because she wanted to party. They also think Jenelle is "cured" because she’s no longer on the show full-time.
But parenting a teenager is a whole different ballgame than parenting a toddler. Jace is now 5'2", athletic, and vocal. He isn't a prop anymore. He’s a young man with his own opinions, and those opinions currently involve keeping a lot of distance from his mother.
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Actionable Insights: Supporting Kids in High-Conflict Families
If you’re following this story because you’re dealing with your own family drama or custody issues, there are a few heavy lessons to take away from the Jace Evans saga:
- Consistency is King: Jace’s best periods of growth have always happened when he was in a stable environment with a routine. Drama-hopping between states (NC to NV to FL and back) only exacerbates behavioral issues.
- Believe the Behavior: If a child is running away, they aren't "being bad"—they are trying to escape something. Pay attention to the why behind the runner.
- Medication and Therapy Matter: One of the biggest points of contention in 2025 was whether Jace was properly medicated for his ADHD and ODD. Mental health isn't a "phase"; it requires professional management.
- The Child's Voice Grows: Once a child hits 14 or 15, courts in many states start weighing their preference heavily. You can't force a 16-year-old to love a home they feel unsafe in.
Jace’s story isn't over. He’s got two years until he’s a legal adult. Hopefully, by the time he hits 18, he’ll be able to tell his own story on his own terms—without a producer or a parent whispering in his ear.
For now, the best thing for Jace from Teen Mom is exactly what he seems to be doing: staying out of the headlines, working a regular job, and trying to be a normal kid in a very abnormal world.