Why was ‘16 & Pregnant’ star Whitney Purvis arrested for involuntary manslaughter?

Whitney Purvis, who once graced the screens in "16 & Pregnant," was arrested today, July 7, on charges of involuntary manslaughter. According to TMZ, the allegations being made against her are related to the distribution of the drug “Tranq," which is a dangerous combination of Fentanyl and Xylazine.

The manslaughter charge is connected to the overdose death of an individual named John Mark Harris, who was found dead in his apartment in February. If the charges against her are proven true, Whitney Purvis could face jail time of at least one year. Depending on how the judges view the case, there's also a slight possibility that she could be put behind bars for life.

Apart from the aforementioned involuntary manslaughter charge, Whitney has also been charged with two other counts concerning possession and intent to distribute controlled substances.

Incidents leading to Whitney Purvis' arrest

Whitney Purvis' arrest comes just a month after the news of her firstborn son's death was confirmed; he was 16 at the time of his death. She expressed her grief on social media via a post that read:

"This is so hard to write. My beautiful son, Weston has passed away. He was only 16 years old. Life is so cruel and unfair. I just dont understand. Oh my baby is gone and I don’t know what to do with myself. He was so perfect. This is really my worst nightmare come true. How do you go on in life after losing a child? I’m in disbelief, this cannot be happening. I don’t want it to be real. I would do anything just to hold him. Words just can’t describe the pain I am feeling."

This was coupled with family bickering over the burial of her son, with Whitney stating that her son's father robbed her of the opportunity to say goodbye to her son in a proper way. Her allegations point to her strained relationship with her ex-husband, whom she has also accused of neglecting the medical needs of their son. Whitney Purvis posted a social media statement after the death of her son in which she remarked:

"My son had diabetes, Addison's disease, and alpha one anti-trypsin deficiency, and he had no medical insurance, but he had a life insurance policy taken out on him. His dad bought five cars in the last six months but couldn't pay for medical insurance.”

She then went on to add:

"He brags about how much money he has and has the nerve to make a GoFundMe to help bury him when he was just going to cremate him anyway because it was the cheapest, plus he had the life insurance policy. He should have had a Dexcom/glucose monitor that alerted when his sugar was going up or down to a dangerous level. In our custody order, he was supposed to have medical insurance on our kids; that was part of our agreement. That just doesn't sit right with me."

After her arrest, the road ahead looks challenging for Whitney. In the event that the charges are proven, she might go through very harsh legal procedures. It is also worth mentioning that this is not exactly the first time that Whitney Purvis has found herself at the wrong end of the law, as her record includes previous arrests for shoplifting and issues related to child support payments.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback