Jenelle Evans may have been a demon teen, but we’re now learning that her childhood may have been a veritable hell.
Her parents Barbara and Robert divorced when Jenelle was just four years old, but reports obtained by Radar reveal that it was anything but amicable.
Robert filed for divorce in May 1996, claiming his wife made “his condition intolerable and life burdensome.” He also wanted custody of their three kids Jenelle, 4, Colin, 6 and Ashleigh, 7.
However, Barbara countered by filing papers requesting full custody, citing that Robert had walked out and that his time with the kids should be “limited or restrained completely” because of his “drinking problem.”
According to court documents, Barbara accused Robert of being an unfit parent due to the following:
- “A long-term impairment from resulting from drug, alcohol, or other substance abuse that interferes with the performance of parenting functions”
- “The absence or substantial impairment of emotional ties between the parent and child”
- “The abusive use of conflict by the parent which creates the danger of serious damage to the child’s psychological development”
Basically, she was saying that Jenelle’s dad was a drunk who had virtually no relationship with his kids but had been a dick enough to cause them mental trauma.
Babs told the courts she wanted to take the kids to counseling and for Robert to complete a program to address anger management and domestic violence issues.
Robert countered by claiming that SHE was the bad parent who caused psychological damage to the children… but wanted her to have custody if he could have every other holiday.
OY VEY.
We wish it ended there, but this back-and-forth in the courts continued for more than a year.
Barbara claimed Robert wouldn’t show up for his scheduled visits with the kids, which at one point caused so much emotional trauma to Jenelle’s sister Ashleigh that she pulled her hair out of her head.
Not a shock that screwed up parents = screwed up kids.
Jenelle’s been in trouble with the law at least 18 times and has had substance abuse issues of her own.
Earlier in the week, another Teen Mom opened up about her troubled early family life. Farrah Abraham broke down to Dr. Drew about how her parents abused her when she was a child.
It almost makes you feel sorry for them – except that they’re the parents now, and need to get their sh*t together before their kids head down the same path.
