Teen Mom 2 alums Jenelle Evans and David Eason remain legally married, but they’ve already moved on with new partners. While Jenelle is romancing her manager-turned-boyfriend, August Keen, David has moved in with a much younger woman, Kenleigh Heatwole. He may be a controversial figure, especially now that Jenelle turned on him after he was slapped with child abuse charges, which remain pending. But David continues to be active on social media, and it looks like that’s something he has something in common with his new girlfriend.
Kenleigh is not only very active on social media, but she hasn’t been afraid to insert herself into Jenelle and David’s drama, mainly to defend her man despite the allegations against him and share her unfiltered thoughts on Jenelle (none of which are kind). Jenelle even threatened to press charges against Kenleigh if she kept shading her online. There’s also a lot of swooning and PDA-heavy content from David and Kenleigh to show followers just how happy they’re convinced they are. But with David’s reputation and Kenleigh’s obsessiveness towards him, fans should be concerned.
Kenleigh is Doing the Most to Be Noticed Online
Kenleigh’s online antics are getting a lot of attention, which has helped boost her following and engagement on social media since going public with David. She seems to be eating up the attention, and her love for the camera makes it likely she’d love a spot on Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, like David’s ex Jenelle. Even if her face isn’t featured, David and Kenleigh will likely get a mention in the upcoming season, given that their drama with Jenelle is such a juicy storyline. There’s no denying that a spot on a show as well-known as Teen Mom can do a lot for anyone’s career. And so can a boost on social media, just like Kenleigh is experiencing. While it may look like her new romance is doing her good, there’s good reason to be concerned.
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“I think I’m still working on the balance.”
For one, there’s an age gap. Kenleigh is 25, while David is 36 (for comparison, Jenelle is 33). This gives context as to why Kenleigh may be more likely to ignore red flags, rationalize David’s behavior, and tolerate mistreatment (like Jenelle did for many years). Due to the imbalance of power, it’s often easier to manipulate the younger person in a relationship when there’s a significant age gap.
The pair also moved very quickly. David and Kenleigh debuted their relationship online last July, a few months after Jenelle filed for separation in February 2024. Instantly, nearly every post on their socials featured each other. Court documents have revealed David doesn’t work, and he’s currently living in a boat that Jenelle partially owns. Jenelle and David remain married since she filed in North Carolina, which requires couples to be legally separated for a year before they can file for divorce. Meanwhile, the exes have been fighting over assets and custody of their daughter, Ensley.
Why David and Kenleigh’s Relationship is Concerning
But the biggest cause for concern is David’s reputation. He has a long history of legal issues, including domestic violence allegations, child abuse charges, and restraining order violations. His latest marriage only ended when he was charged with assaulting Jenelle’s teenage son. Much like Kenleigh is doing now, Jenelle spent many years defending David and making excuses for his mistreatment. Nowadays, she’s singing a different tune, and hasn’t been afraid to hold back, even though she says there’s much more to expose.
“I hold so many disgusting secrets for him and want to share my story but the timing isn’t right,” Jenelle said in August, referring to the mistreatment David allegedly subjected her to
David had a pattern of abuse even before marrying Jenelle in 2017. He lost custody of his son, Kaden, after he was accused of domestic violence against the boy’s mother. For a time, David had primary custody of his daughter, Maryssa, but lost it after admitting to killing Jenelle’s dog (which is got him fired from Teen Mom 2).
It’s bizarre to think anyone would want to be in a relationship with a man known to abuse women and children, yet here we have Kenleigh. And that’s why fans should be concerned. History has a way of repeating itself, and domestic abuse is no exception. It may only be a matter of time before Kenleigh and David’s relationship becomes aggressive. David’s history should make the public concerned for Kenleigh’s well-being and safety – and decision-making skills, at the very least.
If Kenleigh does make it on Teen Mom, then MTV would be indirectly supporting her relationship with David. They wouldn’t have Jenelle on the show when she was still with David, so it’d be hypocritical for the network to invite Kenleigh. And it’d get backlash if it featured David years after his firing, given his history. It took many years for Jenelle to realize she needed to leave, so it may only be a matter of time before Kenleigh does the same. But giving her a televised platform likely wouldn’t help.
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter is streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.
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