Whitney Purvis, who appeared in the first season of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant back in 2009, was arrested in Georgia today on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection to a fatal overdose.
Purvis, 33, is being held without bond at the Floyd County Jail near Rome, Georgia. She was also charged with two counts related to distributing controlled substances.
According to arrest documents, Purvis is accused of distributing the combination of Fentanyl and Xylazine – known as Tranq – that led to the overdose death in February of an adult man named John Mark Harris.
The arrest comes just a month after Purvis’ teenage son Weston Jr. – whom Purvis was carrying during the 2009 episode – died of natural causes. The boy was living with his father, Weston Gosa, at the time of his death.
In a Facebook post after Weston’s death on June 2, Purvis said Weston Jr. lacked proper medical care despite suffering from diabetes, Addison’s disease, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The boy’s father has denied the claims.
In a subsequent Facebook post on June 23, Purvis revealed that she also recently lost her grandmother, who was featured heavily in Purvis’ episode of the MTV show. “Losing both of you within 6 months of each other feels like torture,” Purvis wrote. “When my memaw passed life just felt like something is always missing. She raised me so it was like losing my mom. I eventually found peace with it in a sense that she isn’t suffering any more. When my son passed life felt like time stood still.”
Purvis continued, “I have two more sons that still need me. As much I feel life has no purpose now, I have to find the courage to get out of bed and face another day for them which is challenging. I hope with time it gets easier but for now I’m just existing for them and not for myself.”
