Todd and Julie Chrisley May Lose Custody of Granddaughter Amid Prison Sentences

Todd and Julie Chrisley were recently sentenced to prison on fraud convictions, and may lose custody of their granddaughter, Chloe. According to TMZ, the young girl’s mother, Angela Johnson, has stated that she’s begun the process to get full custody of 10-year-old Chloe. Johnson told TMZ that she has actually been attempting to regain custody of Chloe for years, but has not had much progress.

Chloe is Todd’s biological granddaughter, as she is the child of his son Kyle. The couple was awarded custody of Chole at a young age after both her parents ran into serious legal trouble. Johnson’s announcement comes two weeks after the former Chrisley Knows Best stars were sentenced for bank fraud and tax evasion charges. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie will serve seven years. Both will also be expected to serve 16 months of probation.

Ahead of the sentencing, Julie sat down for a conversation with the couple’s daughter Savannah on her Unlocked podcast. In the episode, which was shared after the sentencing, the pair read a social media comment that ended up sparking some deep conversation. “Honestly, I realize that you all love this precious angel but you’re not her sister,” the commenter wrote. “You’re her aunt. Your mother is not her mother. She’s her grandmother. She has a mother, although not fit, and a father, apparently. Whatever. They made her. They’re her biological parents.”

In response, Julie said, “Every child that has been adopted has biological parents. That doesn’t mean that we aren’t her parents. She is ours. She is our daughter. She is not our granddaughter. She is our daughter, which makes her your sister.”

Savannah pointed out that Chole came to live with the family when she was “a little less than a year old,” and noted that her previous situation was not ideal for a baby. “This child came to us from her biological mother,” she explained. “She had been starved half the time. She wasn’t clean. She came to us one time with a burn on her chest. … So, yes, her biological mother may have had her but that doesn’t make you a mother.”

Julie then added that Chloe sees Savannah “as her big sister,” rather than an aunt, and stated: “If you ask her, she will tell you, ‘Savannah is my sister. Grayson is my brother. Chase is my brother.’ That’s the house she is growing up in. So for people to say that, it just kills [me.]” At this time, Savannah appears to have indicated she may have custody of Chloe and 16-year-old Greyson when her parents report for their prison sentences.