Whitney Purvis was arrested on July 7 in Floyd County, Georgia, on suspicion of felony involuntary manslaughter and related drug charges. Whitney Purvis, a former participant on MTV’s “16 and Pregnant,” was placed on suicide watch at the local jail. Reports indicate that Purvis was moved to a medical cell block and placed under suicide watch after making various suicidal comments while in custody. She was also reportedly undergoing drug detox and experiencing withdrawal symptoms at the same time.
Who is Whitney Purvis?
Purvis gained public recognition as a reality TV personality, having appeared on MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” during its first season in 2009, while she didn’t participate in the spin-off “Teen Mom”, her life has continued to draw media attention, particularly due to the recent arrest and tragic death of her son.
Purvis’s arrest came a month after the death of her 16-year-old son, Weston. She has since been released from custody on bond with conditions, including a curfew and substance abuse treatment. Whitney Purvis was also charged with distribution of a controlled substance and use of a communication device to commit a felony involving controlled substances.
Whitney Purvis was arrested in relation to the death of John M. Harris
In an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, it was alleged that Purvis “distributed a substance presented as ‘Tranq, ‘ commonly known as Xylazine and Fentanyl,” to John M. Harris. The substance allegedly “directly contributed to the victim’s death due to a toxic overdose,” per the document. Harris died in February and was 37 years old, per his obituary. Purvis even left a comment on his obituary on Monday, March 3, expressing that she had just found out about his death and had missed his funeral.
Purvis stated, “I wish I could’ve found out sooner and attended your celebration of life. Thank you for being such a great friend to me and always making me feel beautiful and cared for. You’ve come to my rescue on many occasions and saved me over the years. I could tell you anything, and you always knew what to say or give me your honest opinion and advice. I am so very thankful for the times we had together. My brain just can’t process that this happened. I don’t want it to be true.”
Purvis told PEOPLE just days later that she can’t seem to imagine a future now and can’t imagine going on after the loss of her good friend.
