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Written by: A. Smith
Published July 7, 2025 @ 1:25 PM ET
FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. – Whitney Purvis, known for her appearance on the first season of MTV’s 16 & Pregnant, has been arrested and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter in connection with a man’s fatal overdose earlier this year in Rome, Georgia.
Police say the charge stems from a Feb. 16 incident when officers responded to a home on 8th Street and found 39-year-old John Mark Harris dead at the scene. Investigators reported finding drug paraphernalia nearby and believe Harris died from a toxic overdose caused by “Tranq,” a mixture of Xylazine and Fentanyl.
A warrant accuses Purvis, 33, of distributing the drug to Harris. She was taken into custody on Monday, July 7, and also faces additional charges related to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to Floyd County jail records.
Purvis’ arrest comes just over a month after the death of her 16-year-old son, Weston Jr. In a Facebook post last month, Purvis wrote, “My beautiful son, Weston has passed away. He was only 16 years old. Life is so cruel and unfair. I just don’t understand.” The family previously said his death was possibly due to illness and was awaiting autopsy results.
On the morning of June 2, Weston Owen Gosa Jr. was found unresponsive in his Calhoun, Georgia, home by his stepmother around 7 a.m. She attempted CPR before paramedics arrived and took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Weston had been diagnosed with several serious health conditions, including Type 1 diabetes, Addison’s disease, and alpha‑1 antitrypsin deficiency, and reportedly “appeared fine the night before”. His father reviewed home surveillance footage showing Weston had difficulty sleeping before his death, and an autopsy and toxicology report are still pending.
Purvis later claimed she was blocked from attending her son’s funeral. In another Facebook post, she said Weston Jr.’s father, Weston Gosa Sr., told her the service was at 4 p.m., but when she arrived, she was told she was not on the guest list.
Gosa, who previously dated Purvis, told TMZ that everyone was informed the funeral home would hold a viewing from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the service, and said Purvis didn’t arrive until after the viewing had ended.
Purvis and Gosa appeared on 16 & Pregnant in 2009 and later had a second son together in 2014. She eventually lost custody of both children. Over the years, she has been arrested on several occasions, including for shoplifting, criminal damage to property, and failure to pay child support.
The investigation into Harris’ death remains ongoing.
Purvis is awaiting her next court date.
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