Former 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis has narrowly avoided being taken into custody after a judge ordered her arrest over significant unpaid child support. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Purvis was delinquent on more than $23,000 in back child support for her surviving son.
A Last-Minute Payment Stops Arrest
The situation reached a critical point when a judge issued an order for Purvis's arrest unless she made an immediate purge payment of $4,000. The reality television personality managed to submit the required sum, prompting the judge to rescind the arrest warrant. Consequently, she was not taken into custody.
Moving forward, her financial obligations have been restructured. Court records indicate she must now pay $353 per month in current child support, along with an additional $20 monthly towards the arrears and further processing fees.
A Year of Profound Tragedy and Legal Woes
This child support case unfolds during an exceptionally difficult period for Purvis. In June of this year, her 16-year-old son, Weston Jr., tragically passed away. The teenager, whom she welcomed with ex-boyfriend Weston Gosa during the first season of the MTV show, had faced lifelong health challenges including diabetes, Addison's disease, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
In a separate and more severe legal matter, Purvis was arrested in July and charged with involuntary manslaughter and drug offences. These charges are connected to the fatal drug overdose of her friend, 37-year-old chef John Mark Harris, on February 17. Law enforcement alleges she provided him with narcotics, specifically a substance presented as "Tranq," containing Xylazine and Fentanyl, which led to his death.
Following that arrest, a Georgia court granted her a $15,000 bond with conditions including sobriety and a curfew.
Emotional Tributes Amidst Legal Turmoil
Prior to her arrest in the overdose case, Purvis penned a heartfelt online memorial for John Mark Harris in March. She described him as a "truly good hearted, one of a kind man" and expressed deep regret at missing his funeral. "I could tell you anything and you always knew what to say," she wrote on a funeral home's website, bonding over their shared profession as chefs.
The death of her son Weston prompted an anguished public post. "Life is so cruel and unfair. I just don't understand," Purvis shared on social media in June. "How do you go on in life after losing a child?" She remembered her son as "perfect" and expressed unimaginable pain over the loss.
With these ongoing legal proceedings and personal tragedies, the future remains uncertain for the MTV alum, whose life has been documented on reality television since her youth.
