'Teen Mom': Jenelle Evans' Husband David Eason Charged With 'Assault by Strangulation'

Update, Jan. 13, 2 p.m. ET: After news broke of Eason's cases being updated, TMZ has confirmed reports from InTouch and The Ashley that Eason is now facing a felony charge. Authorities have charged him with assault by strangulation.

Original Story, Jan. 12: Teen Mom alum David Eason is facing child abuse charges, and his case may have just gotten worse. Eason was initially hit with misdemeanor charges, stemming from an alleged altercation with his step-son, Jace, the song of his wife, Jenelle Evans. Now, In Touch reports, that his case has been moved to superior court, which could potentially indicate that it his charges have been upgraded to a felony. The former MTV star may also be facing a charge of assault by strangulation, the outlet noted.

On Oct. 26, 2023, Eason was charged with misdemeanor child abuse after Jace — Jenelle Eason's son with ex-boyfriend Andrew Lewis — attempted to run away from home for a third time. Reportedly, Jace, 14, told his grandmother, Barbara Evans, that he ran away because Eason allegedly assaulted him. Evans and Eason were later placed under investigation by Child Protection Services. Eason appeared in Columbus Superior Court on Wednesday, Jan. 10, and was indicted on child abuse charges for the alleged September 2023 attack on his stepson, according to a court spokesperson. "They found enough evidence to take his case out of district court, where misdemeanors are held, and bring it to superior," the spokesperson said.

In November, TMZ reported that Jace took off, once again, from his grandmother Barbara's home after she took his phone away from him as punishment for getting caught vaping at school. He was found on Sunday and was placed under the watch of medical professionals until he could be placed in a foster home. Notably, this was at least the fourth time that Jace had run away from his North Carolina home since August. 

According to TMZ, the Brunswick County Sheriff's Department put out an alert after Jace went missing after school one day. He was later found safe. The former Teen Mom 2 cast member's manager August Keen told TMZ, "Jace has been found, and is safely at home with Jenelle and his family, thank you to the Brunswick Co. Sheriff's Department and to everyone else for their concerns."

Barbara later accused her reality TV star daughter of taking her son Jace off of his medication, which she believed contributed to his decision to run away. Speaking to TMZ, Barbara stated that when Jenelle was awarded custody of Jace earlier this year, she took him off his ADHD medicine. Barbara also claimed that Jenelle stopped allowing Jace to see his behavioral specialist, who had been working with him for some time.