Mackenzie Standifer deserves your sympathy.
Sure, she’s Ryan Edwards biggest enabler, and for that, she’s taken a good deal of criticism, most of which she richly deserved.
But she’s also one of his victims.
Mackenzie has been dragged through hell by Ryan over the course of the past few years.
She stuck by her husband’s side during Edwards’ many arrests and his near-fatal battle with addiction.
And now, she’s defending Ryan again, as he continues to do battle with ex-wife Maci Bookout, who is the mother of his eldest son.
Of course, continuing to side with someone as unpopular as Ryan is bound to have its drawbacks.
And these days, Mackenzie is dealing with some heavy consequences.
According to a new report from The Sun, Mack’s ex-husband, Zachary Stephens, is fighting her for custody of their son, 6-year-old Hudson.
And Ryan is sure to be a major liability to Mackenzie as she wages battle against her ex.
Watching Teen Mom OG or looking at Standifer’s Instagram page, you might get the impression that Hudson spends most of us time living with Mackenzie and Ryan.
But Zachary says that’s not the case.
“Upon information and belief, during Mother’s designated parenting time, the child spends the majority of the parenting time with the child’s maternal grandparents," reads a court filing obtained by The Sun.
Not surprisingly, Mackenzie claims that Zach is lying when he says that Hudson spends most of his time with him or with her parents, and she’s “demanded strict proof” of his allegation.
But even if Zach is unable to prove that Hudson rarely sees his mother, Mackenzie might find herself fighting an uphill battle in court.
That’s because Zach is making another claim that will be very difficult for Standifer to disprove:
“Father believes that the minor child’s involvement with the television program may be detrimental to the welfare and well-being of the minor child," reads Stephens’ filing.
Yes, he’s claiming that the constant presence of MTV camera crews and reality TV drama is detrimental to the healthy development of a 6-year-old boy.
And it will be very difficult for Mackenzie to counter that argument.
Interestingly, Stephens is not requesting full custody.
Instead, he’s proposing an arrangement in which he and Standifer both have Hudson for 182.5 days of the year.
The fact that he’s being so reasonable will likely make things even more difficult for Mackenzie, whose life with Ryan is anything but reasonable.
In addition to his never-ending war with Maci Bookout, Edwards is currently being sued by a couple who claim he caused them severe injuries as a result of his reckless driving.
And a family court judge probably won’t be interested in the fact that Ryan has gone a full year without being arrested.
Despite all of that, it seems highly unlikely that Mack and Zach will be able to reach an agreement outside of court.
Back in December, Standifer reminded fans of her contempt for her ex with a lengthy post about gas-lighting.
“Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation and emotional abuse," read the meme.
"The gaslight avoids responsibility for their toxic behavior by lying and denying and making you question facts, your memory and your feelings.
“Basically, the Gaslighter makes you feel crazy and confused. Know this now: You’re NOT crazy. You’re being manipulated AND this is TOXIC and NOT ACCEPTABLE.”
Mackenzie added:
“If your co-parenting relationship looks like this – you too are being gas lit. You’re welcome.”
When fans suggested she might be talking about Ryan, Mackenzie was quick to correct them:
“Ya’ll realize I have a child with someone else right? This has absolutely nothing to do with the show or the people on it lol.”
Unfortunately for Mackenzie, her life off camera might soon become as dramatic as her life on the air.