Former 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis pleads guilty in Georgia overdose death
The gist
Former 16 and Pregnant star Whitney Purvis, 34, entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter in a Georgia overdose death.
She faces up to 44 years, and no sentencing date has been set.
How it unfolded
- Feb 16, 2025John Mark Harris, 37, was found dead at a home in Rome, Georgia, with possible drug paraphernalia at the scene. An arrest affidavit accuses Purvis of involuntary manslaughter by allegedly distributing a substance presented as "Tranq" that contributed to his death.
- Jun 2025Purvis' 16-year-old son, Weston Owen Gosa Jr., died; she shared the news on social media, calling it her "worst nightmare come true."
- Jul 7, 2025Purvis was booked in a Georgia jail in connection with Harris' overdose death.
Key terms
- Alford plea
- A guilty plea in which the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence but accepts a sentence.
- involuntary manslaughter
- A common-law homicide offense considered less culpable than murder, often divided into voluntary and involuntary types.
Source: Wikipedia