'Teen Mom 2' Jenelle Evans' Boyfriend Wants to Adopt Jace
"Teen Mom 2" star Jenelle Evans wants to regain custody of her son, Jace, and now her boyfriend Nathan Griffith, also wants custody of the boy and hopes to adopt him soon. The couple recently welcomed their first child together, a son named Kaiser.
"I want custody of Jace," Griffith told OK! Magazine. "He listens to me and I'm a good role model for him. [Barbara] just yells at him."
Barbara is Jace's maternal grandmother and has had custody of him since he was an infant. Evans signed custody over to her mother when it was clear that she was in over her head and struggling with motherhood and life in general. Evans has had a tumultuous relationship with her mother, and now that she is with Griffith, he too has had a similar experience with Barbara.
"I look at him as one of my kids so I want him in a more structured and understanding home," Griffith said. "When he's with Barbara it gives me an unsettling feeling in my stomach. I love her and I respect her, but she hasn't grown up yet – and I don't like that."
Griffith is already the father of two children – a daughter from a previous relationship and now baby Kaiser with Evans. He has not had the best of luck with the law: he has had three DUI arrests or citations, and spent time in jail after the third DUI.
First, though, Evans would have to get custody back from her mother. The two have reportedly talked and decided that if Evans can remain sober for one year, she could possibly regain custody of Jace. So far, Evans has been doing her part, and Barbara has been granting her more freedom with Jace. Evans has also divorced her ex-husband, which she wanted to do some time ago, and it's likely that she and Griffith will soon marry.
There still may be one hurdle to overcome, and that is Jace's birth father giving up his paternal rights. So far he has not had much to do with Jace, but that could become a problem if Griffith does move forward with adoption proceedings.