One day after Jenelle Evan’s ex, Nathan Griffith, vowed to seek full custody of their 5-year-old son, Kaiser, Griffith’s sister is coming to the Teen Mom 2 alum’s defense. Heather Griffith told HollywoodLife that Evans is not a “horrible, vindictive person” and that she struggled greatly when her kids were taken from her custody last month.
“I think a lot of things have been exaggerated and blown out of proportion. I don’t see Jenelle as an unfit parent or someone that doesn’t love her kids,” Heather said. “I watch her go through this process, and she’s tried to remain so positive but she was just so sad. After getting to know her over the past few months — we recently became closer when the kids were taken away — I don’t see her as this horrible, vindictive person that she’s constantly being played out to be. I think she is just constantly under attack and I don’t think that she’s unfit as a parent.”
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She continued, saying that she and Evans have grown closer this summer than ever before.
“I have talked to her pretty much ever since the kids were taken from her,” Heather said. “We check in with each other every day to make sure things are going well throughout the whole process. We’re building a friendship now. It’s hard because Nate’s my brother and I can never be in her corner, but I can referee and make sure she gets a fair fight. I see so much promise and potential in her. She’s a go-getter; she’s doing what she has to to support her family. One thing I can say about her is that she totally respects the rules of not saying anything bad about my brother. She has never bashed my brother to me or said one bad thing [about him].”
Evans regained custody of Kaiser and her and husband David Eason‘s 2-year-old daughter, Ensley, as well as Eason’s 11-year-old daughter Maryssa, on July 4 after weeks of battling for custody. Child Protective Services removed the three children from Evans and Eason’s home after Eason shot and killed the family dog.
Nathan Griffith plans on fighting to get full custody of Kaiser, telling TMZ on Tuesday that he hired a lawyer before the CPS incident even happened.
“I think just with her situation I would be more fit as a parent,” he said, stressing that he believed Kaiser isn’t receiving proper “love and affection.”
He also accused Evans of spreading misinformation about him, saying, “I found it absolutely hysterical because the moment I got Kaiser into my custody, I have never denied her one time of FaceTime. She has now already re-blocked my number, and is totally being outrageous in everything she has said about me.”
Heather told HollywoodLife that Nathan is not happy with her for her continued contact with Evans. “My brother right now, the last day and a half, he’s not been talking that much because he’s upset that I’m communicating with Jenelle,” she said. “Normally I’m in my brother’s corner 100 percent all the time [because] we’re very close. I’m very supportive of my brother. I love him very much; he’s a good guy.”
