On Tuesday, the world learned that Jenelle Evans and David Eason would not be regaining custody of their kids per the decision delivered by a North Carolina family court judge.
Longtime Teen Mom 2 viewers were not exactly shocked by the decision and many applauded the judge and CPS investigators who determined that Evans and Eason are incapable of providing a safe environment for their children.
But Jenelle’s kids have been removed from her home only on a temporary basis.
And next week, CPS will begin working with Evans to help her become a more suitable mom — and possibly regain custody.
Here’a a look at what lies ahead for reality TV’s most reviled parents:
A Crushing Blow
Insiders say Jenelle was confident throughout the 5-day hearing that the judge would award her custody of the three children who were taken from her home earlier this month.
How Wrong She Was
That confidence proved to be misplaced, however, as a judge ruled on Tuesday that the three children who had previously been under Jenelle and David’s care were to remain with their current guardians.
Displaced
That means 2-year-old Ensley will remain with her grandmother, Barbara Evans; 4-year-old Kaiser will stay with his father, Nathan Griffith; and 11-year-old Maryssa will continue to reside with her maternal grandmother.
Blindsided
“Jenelle believed that her lawyer was going to be able to get her children back and she seemed stunned when this happened,” a source close to the situation told Radar Online after the verdict was announced.
An Appropriate Response … For Once
“Jenelle was sobbing in court,” the insider added, offering further evidence that Jenelle genuinely did not anticipate the verdict.
An Easy Decision
Despite the unusually long hearing, it seems the decision was a rather easy one for authorities. “CPS described the state of the home as horrific. It was filthy, and there were holes in all of the walls,” said one insider.
A Nightmare Situation
Another indicated that “human and animal feces” were found inside the house, and Ensley was discovered outdoors in a “urine-soaked diaper” during one unannounced CPS visit.
Free Kaiser
Also simplifying the judge’s decision was the apparent trauma suffered by Jenelle’s son Kaiser, who had reportedly suffered “the brunt” of his parents’ abuse and showed signs of being frightened to return to Jenelle and David’s home.
A Turbulent Home
“The judge heard testimony that David and Jenelle were constantly screaming and arguing, and the children were terrified,” a source told Radar Online.
Failure of a Mom
“The judge told Jenelle that she failed to protect the children while they were in her care,” the insider added.
A Long Road Ahead
Despite the many strikes against Jenelle and her short-tempered spouse, the court’s custody decision was only a temporary one, and Evans is reportedly working on “a solution on how to get her kids back.”
So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance…
“The judge told her that she was not going to be getting her children back today, and set a future court date of June 4,” the tipster continued.
Cleaning Up Her Act
Jenelle will need to prove to the authorities that she’s capable of providing a safe, healthy, stable environment for her kids — which will not be an easy feat, particularly as she seems to have no intention of leaving David.
Taking Every Precaution
In the meantime, Evans’ time with her kids will be extremely limited, and it will take place only in carefully-monitored circumstances.
Leaving Nothing to Chance
“Jenelle can have supervised visits with her children,” the insider told Radar. “She can see each child once a week for an hour a day. She can meet them in the office, she cannot go see them in their homes.”
Waking Nightmare
Jenelle is said to be “devastated” by the arrangement, but insiders claim she’s fully committed to following the judge’s orders.
Finally Cooperating
“At this time we are cooperating with the judge and legal team from court,” Evans and Eason said through their legal team.
Withholding Comment
“We have no comment at this time and appreciate the concerns regarding our client and her children” the statement continued. “We will continue to cooperate with the court and their decisions.”
In Their Corner
Barbara Evans has had custody of Jenelle’s eldest child since the 11-year-old was an infant. Now, she’s the caretaker of 2-year-old Ensley. Despite the turbulent situation, however, Babs says she’s rooting for her daughter.
Long Shot Odds
“Of course I would like for Jenelle to get them all back eventually,” Babs recently told Us Weekly.
No Easy Feat
Of course, that won’t be easy, particularly as Jenelle has decided NOT to leave her volatile husband.
Justice For Nugget
The CPS investigation was prompted by a situation in which David violently murdered the family dog while the children were at home.
The Lone Gunman
At first, only David was under investigation. That allegedly changed when CPS investigators got their first look at conditions on The Land.
The Real Problem
There was a time when it looked as though Jenelle planned to leave David, but now she’s apparently chosen him iver her own children.
Two Peas In a Pod
Now, Jenelle and David are in this thing together — and it looks like they’ve given themselves a very deep hole to crawl out of.