Whitney Purvis has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and other charges more than a year after the former 16 and Pregnant star’s arrest in connection with a man’s fatal overdose.
Purvis, 34, was arrested in Georgia in July 2025 in the death of John Mark Harris, about a month after she shared the news that her 16-year-old son, Weston Jr., had died, Us previously reported.
According to Floyd County authorities, Purvis allegedly gave Harris a drug referred to as “Tranq,” containing a mixture of xylazine and fentanyl, resulting in his death, WMAZ-TV reported.
Purvis pleaded guilty on Friday, November 6, to three out of seven offenses she was facing in relation to Harris’ death, including involuntary manslaughter, illegal use of a communication facility and sale of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, specifically fentanyl, per the TV station.
She also filed a waiver of the right to withdraw her plea.
In pleading guilty to the three counts, Purvis specifically entered an Alford plea, meaning she maintains her innocence but acknowledges that the evidence against her would likely result in her conviction, Court TV reported.
According to Purvis’ arrest affidavit cited by the outlet, she allegedly gave Harris “Tranq” in February 2025.
Harris was 37 when he died at his Rome, Georgia, home, according to his online obituary.
Following his death, Purvis paid tribute to him in a message left on his obituary website, calling him a “great friend.”
“I’ll never forget you. Rest in peace and my condolences to your family and friends. I pray they are able to find some kind of comfort during this tragic time. I love you forever, John Mark. Love, Whitney,” Purvis wrote.
She was ultimately taken into custody by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Floyd County authorities in July 2025.
“Today, DEA Atlanta and local law enforcement arrested Whitney Purvis in Floyd County, GA on charges of involuntary manslaughter due to fentanyl poisoning,” Jae W. Chung, acting special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Atlanta Field Division, previously said in a statement.
About a month earlier, Purvis shared in a June 2025 Facebook post that her and Weston Gosa Sr.’s teen son, Weston Jr., had died.
“This is so hard to write. My beautiful son, Weston has passed away,” she wrote in the post. “He was only 16 years old. Life is so cruel and unfair. I just dont understand.”
Purvis told People that Weston had multiple medical issues, including Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Addison’s disease, which she said led to him also having diabetes.
Following Purvis’ Alford plea, she’s facing up to 44 years in prison, per Court TV. Her sentencing hasn’t been scheduled.
