Whitney Purvis of '16 and Pregnant' Previously Lost Custody of Her Son Who Died at Age 16

Back in 2009, MTV changed the reality television landscape when it dropped 16 and Pregnant. In case the name isn't enough, the series followed six pregnant teenage girls as they tried to make adult decisions much earlier than most. There were several breakout stars, including Farrah Abraham, who went on to author a New York Times bestselling memoir while also dabbling in adult films and other reality television shows.

Several other cast members from the first season wrote books, became motivational speakers, or continued to grow their families. Unfortunately, not every 16 and Pregnant star used their fame wisely. Whitney Purvis has had several run-ins with the law and later lost custody of her two sons from the relationship featured on the show. What happened? Here's what we know.

According to court documents obtained by The U.S. Sun, Purvis's two older sons were living with their grandmother before custody was officially transferred to their father, Weston Gosa Sr., on April 30, 2018. The outlet does not say why. She was ordered to pay $353 per month in child support and was granted visitation rights every other weekend. By September 2019, Purvis hadn't paid a dime and owed $5,648 to her ex.

Things got worse in August 2020 when Gosa Sr. filed a petition for a temporary protective order against Purvis for him and their children. This came after Purvis arrived at Gosa Sr.'s house to pick up their kids but did not have a car seat for their younger son, River. He reportedly offered to buy one, but Purvis declined. The couple got into an argument, which resulted in Purvis allegedly going to Gosa Sr.'s wife's work where she was "being belligerent." A manager asked Purvis to leave.

That wasn't the last of it as Purvis returned to Gosa Sr.'s home where she threatened to "blow [his] brains out" and "make [him] a widow." In September 2020, a judge granted Gosa Sr. the restraining order, which was effective from Sept. 3, 2020, to Sept. 2, 2021. A few weeks after the restraining order ended, Purvis was arrested for sending "terroristic threats" via text to her ex, saying she wanted to slit his throat. Purvis was arrested. She was arrested again in 2024 for failing to pay child support.

Unfortunately, Purvis's troubles are far from over. The reality television star posted on Facebook about the passing of her oldest son, Weston Gosa Jr., at the age of 16. "This is so hard to write," said Purvis on June 2, 2025. "My beautiful son, Weston, has passed away." She went on to ask how one continues living after a tragedy like this. "I would do anything just to hold him. Words just can't describe the pain I am feeling."

Purvis did not reveal a cause of death, but her ex's wife provided more information in a Facebook post of her own. Amy Gosa shared that when she and Gosa Jr. tried to wake Weston up at around 7 a.m., he was unresponsive and wasn't breathing. They called an ambulance while attempting CPR. The paramedics continued administering CPR until Weston arrived at Gordon County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.