As it stands, former reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley remain in prison years after being found guilty of bank fraud, tax evasion and more. Meanwhile, their children continue to wade through the reality of their parents’ absences. Savannah Chrisley, Julie and Todd’s 27-year-old daughter, has been particularly candid about this. On various occasions, Savannah has also addressed the general public’s analysis of her family’s current situation. Now, she’s opening up about one mistake that’s made when her family is discussed.
Savannah Chrisley has had custody of her two younger siblings since her parents reported to prison in January 2023. Those two are 12-year-old sister Chloe and 18-year-old brother Grayson. Chloe is the daughter of Kyle Chrisley – Todd’s oldest son with ex-wife Teresa Terry – and was formally adopted by the Chrisleys 2016. However, Savannah says that a number of people still refer to Chloe as her niece instead of her sibling. Savannah says that comment remains hurtful:
When Chloe looks at me, she’s like, ‘That’s my sister.’ When people look at my dad and say, ‘Well, that’s Chloe’s grandpa.’ Chloe’s like, ‘Why do they keep saying that?’ So, when people make these public comments, they always want to put titles on things. When in reality, all they’re doing is hurting her. They’re hurting the child. … She hates it when people say, ‘Oh, that’s your aunt,’ or, ‘That’s your grandpa.’ Because that’s not what she identifies with. And a child psychologist said, ‘If she calls you mom, that’s because you make her feel the love of a mother. You show up like a mom does. You show up like a dad does. So, if that’s what she identifies with, let her call you that.’ I think when people make these public comments, they’re only hurting the child. That’s what’s sad.
33-year-old Kyle Chrisley has struggled with addiction over the years, though sister Lindsie just recently claimed that he’s sober now. He’s also had a brush with the law, as Chrisley was arrested for aggravated assault in 2023. As for Chloe’s mother, Angela Johnson has had her share of personal issues as well, and she reportedly volunteered her parental rights back in 2017. However, Johnson unsuccessfully sought custody of her daughter back in 2022.
What Savannah Chrisley finds to be “infuriating” in regard to the assertion about Chloe (who is biracial) is that “people want to use race to cause this huge divide.” During her interview, Savannah went on to discuss her sister’s parental status and further emphasize their relationship:
Her mother gave her away. It wasn’t like my parents went out here and said, ‘Hey, I want a sixth child. We’re in the latter part of our life and we want a sixth child.’ No, they took Chloe because they loved her and they wanted to save her from a very bad situation. They wanted to give her the best life possible. … I could never imagine being a parent and having to give my child over to someone else. I don’t want that for anyone. But that’s what happened here. And so, I just took it as it came. We are best friends. Me, Chloe, and Grayson. It’s like we’re the three best friends. It’s all three of us, and we just tackle everything together.
Since gaining custody of her siblings, Savannah Chrisley has been open about what it’s been like raising them. The Unlocked podcast host has discussed spending Christmas with them amid their parents’ imprisonment, for instance. Earlier this year, Chrisley also got candid about her struggles to be a surrogate parent for Chloe and Grayson. Nevertheless, Savannah’s social media posts give the impression that the three do have a firm relationship and enjoy spending time together. Check out one of her updates from this past holiday below:
As for Julie and Todd Chrisley, the former is serving seven years at Kentucky’s Lexington Medical Center, while the latter was sentenced to a 12-year stint at Federal Prison Camp in Florida. Savannah is still holding out hope that her folks will be released earlier due to appeals, and it’s been alleged that the couple hopes to be pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump. While the family’s legal team continues to work, it seems that Savannah is focused on caring for her siblings and setting the record straight on Chloe as necessary.
