When we first saw Whitney Purvis on the very first season of 16 and Pregnant, she was just a kid herself. Navigating high school, a pregnancy, and a complicated relationship with Weston Gosa Sr., she became one of the faces of a reality TV movement. But fast forward nearly two decades, and the narrative around her life has shifted from teenage struggles to a series of legal battles and deep personal loss.
Many people are asking why Whitney Purvis lost custody of her children. It isn't a simple "yes or no" answer, and it certainly didn't happen overnight. It was a slow-motion collision of legal issues, financial instability, and personal demons that eventually led to a Georgia judge handing over full physical and legal custody of her two oldest sons, Weston Jr. and River, to their father and his new wife, Amy Gosa.
The Legal Shift: How Whitney Purvis Lost Custody
The transition of custody didn't happen in the heat of a single courtroom drama. Instead, it was a multi-year process. Around 2018, the court made a definitive ruling. Weston Gosa Sr. was granted full legal and physical custody. Whitney, once the primary caregiver in the eyes of MTV viewers, was relegated to visitation rights.
Honestly, the details of these hearings are often kept private to protect the kids, but the public record shows a pattern. There were allegations of "terroristic threats" made by Whitney toward Weston Sr. and Amy Gosa, leading to a temporary protective order in 2020. While that order eventually expired, the damage to the co-parenting relationship was basically permanent.
You've also got the financial side of things. In 2024, Whitney was arrested for failing to make child support payments. It’s a cycle many people in her position face: you lose custody, you’re ordered to pay support, you struggle to find steady work because of your legal history, and then you end up back in jail for non-payment.
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A Mother's Grief and a Father's Accusations
The situation took a turn for the truly tragic in June 2025. Whitney's eldest son, Weston Gosa Jr., passed away at just 16 years old. He was found unresponsive in his bed. While the family mentioned he struggled with health issues like diabetes, the aftermath of his death turned into a public battle over who was at fault and who deserved to mourn.
Whitney took to Facebook, devastated. She called it her "worst nightmare." But the tension with her ex-husband reached a breaking point during the funeral. Whitney alleged that Weston Sr. gave her the wrong time for the service and ultimately barred her and her family from entering.
- The Mother's View: Whitney claimed she was being "bashed" online and that she wasn't a perfect parent, but no mother should be kept from her son's funeral.
- The Father's View: Weston Sr. and Amy maintained that Whitney's absence or lateness was her own doing and that the focus should remain on the son they had raised full-time for years.
The Escalation: Involuntary Manslaughter Charges
If the custody battle was the beginning of the end for Whitney's public image, July 2025 was the total collapse. Just one month after her son's death, Whitney was arrested in Floyd County, Georgia.
The charges? Felony involuntary manslaughter.
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Police accused her of supplying a man named John Mark Harris with "Tranq"—a lethal combination of fentanyl and xylazine. Harris died of an overdose in February 2025. This arrest brought the Federal DEA into the mix. It painted a much darker picture of why the courts might have been hesitant to return custody of her younger children to her.
It’s a lot to process. You go from a reality star to a mother losing her rights, then losing her child, and finally facing a prison sentence for a drug-related death.
Why the Courts Take Custody Away
In cases like this, judges look at "the best interests of the child." It sounds like a cliché, but it’s the legal standard. When a parent has:
- Repeated arrests or "run-ins" with the law.
- Documented issues with substance abuse.
- An inability to provide a stable, consistent home.
The court almost always favors the parent who can provide a steady routine. In this case, that was Weston Sr. and Amy. Whitney herself admitted in social media posts that she didn't have the money for a lawyer to fight the custody battle while also trying to pay rent and child support.
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What This Means for the Future
Whitney Purvis is currently out on bond as of late 2025, but her legal troubles are far from over. With the involuntary manslaughter charge and the DEA investigation looming, the chances of her regaining custody of her younger son, River, or her third child born in 2023, seem virtually nonexistent.
This story is a sobering look at the reality of "reality fame." It doesn't always lead to a successful career or a stable life. Sometimes, it just documents the beginning of a very long, very public struggle.
Next Steps for Understanding Custody Laws:
- If you or someone you know is facing a custody battle, the first step is seeking legal aid. Many counties offer pro-bono services for parents who cannot afford a private attorney.
- Keep a detailed log of all communications with the other parent. In Whitney’s case, the dispute over funeral times might have been cleared up with documented proof of correspondence.
- Prioritize stability. Courts value a parent who can show a consistent track record of employment and a safe living environment over everything else.
The situation remains fluid as her court dates for the manslaughter charges approach in 2026. For now, the "Teen Mom" legacy for Whitney is one defined by loss—both of her rights as a mother and, most tragically, of her son.