Teen Mom stars who died – homicide investigation, overdoses and addiction battle

Over the years, MTV’s Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant stars have suffered terrible tragedies.

From drug addiction battles to family fallouts, it’s not easy being a young mum with baby daddies in and out of their lives. It’s hardly surprising the stars sadly succumbed to drug dependency, with Leah Messer opening up on how she underwent a botched spinal tap which led to her becoming addicted to pain meds.

She confessed: “I just went in to deliver Addie and they injected me 13 times and, even in the hospital, I couldn’t get up — and they just put me on morphine. They put me on different drugs to go home on for like, three months, three different drugs.

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“It was when you can’t find pain medication, there was the heroin. It’s a cheaper and an easier form. I was actually with my dad when I had done it. I just want to feel normal, but I’m either in so much physical pain that I can barely stand, or so foggy from the pills that I look like a junkie.”

Leah checked into rehab and thankfully overcame her addiction, but slammed the show for “taking advantage” of a dark period in her life. And for other stars, things didn’t turn out so lucky.

Taylor Lewis

In January 2023, cops were called to investigate a “potential homicide” at a hotel in Eden, North Carolina, when Teen Mom 2 star Taylor Lewis’ body was discovered by a housekeeper. Her sister told In Touch Weekly that Taylor was seen on camera with two men in a hotel room, just hours before she was found dead.

However, other reports suggested her death was due to an overdose, with Taylor having battled addiction in the past. Her fellow reality star Jenelle Evans paid tribute to Taylor, writing: “We were once best friends and we went our separate ways because of the diff crowds we chose to hangout with.

“I wanted to see you eventually flourish as a woman from a distance but was always rooting for you. I don’t know what happened but I am very saddened to hear this news and hope you’re resting easy. I’m so sorry and sending your family prayers #SweetAngel #RIP. I feel awful for not answering her in March 2022, but I felt like she wasn’t doing her best.”

Taylor welcomed daughter Jordan Ashlee Nikole Lewis on the show. Her cause of death was eventually confirmed as “acute fentanyl and oxycodone toxicity” and classified as an accident.

Jordan Cashmyer

16 and Pregnant season five saw Jordan Cashmyer as a young mum battling homelessness – and the star sadly passed away in January 2022 aged only 27. Her mother confirmed she died in Maryland, though a cause was not confirmed at the time.

Her mum Jessica announced: “Last night I received a call no parent ever wants. My oldest beloved daughter, Jordan has passed away, she was only 26 years old. Our hearts are truly broken. No parent should ever have to go through losing a child, EVER.

“Please keep my family in your thoughts prayers as we navigate through this terrible tragedy. Please understand and respect our privacy at this time.”

The MTV alum welcomed daughter Genevieve on the show, leading her family to disown her over her relationship with Derek Taylor. Eventually, her cause of death was confirmed as fentanyl and cocaine intoxication, after a lifetime struggling with addiction.

Lane Fernandez

The ex-boyfriend of Teen Mom’s Malorie Beaver died just weeks after welcoming a baby boy with his wife Kylee Rose Fernandez, when he was only 28.

Lane appeared on Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant with his ex Malorie, with whom he welcomed daughter Emerson. He went on to welcome son Nolyn with Kylee, but died just after the birth.

Kylee issued a heartbroken statement at the time, writing: “I’m so lost without you babe.. I love you to the moon and back and I know you’re watching out for us. I will forever miss you. It’s always been you. Nolyn, Emerson, and I love you so much and you were an amazing father, dog dad, and husband. You’ll forever be my rock, and my best friend. I miss you more than anything baby.”

No further information was released about his tragic demise.

Valerie Fairman

In 2016, we lost another 16 and Pregnant star. Valerie Fairman welcomed her daughter Navaeh on the show when she was only 15 years old, and was sadly found dead aged only 23 after battling substance abuse.

Her mum Janice put her death down to appearing on the show, telling Daily Mail: “I wish she had never been on TV. It played a big part in her death. I think it messed her up big-time. When we tried to put our foot down, that’s when she left home. I don’t think there’s anything more we could’ve done to help her.”

Valerie left her baby daughter with her parents as soon as she turned 18, wrapped up in her own addiction battle. A spokesperson for the Chester County Coroner told RadarOnline her official cause of death was “multiple drug toxicity”, and ruled “accidental”.

Derek Underwood

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Best known as the baby daddy to Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham’s daughter Sophia, Derek Underwood had one of the most tragic deaths of all the show’s stars. In 2008, when he was only 18, Derek died in a car crash.

Just a month before the birth of his daughter, Derek allegedly lost control of his vehicle when he was driving. It skidded, flipping over onto a power pole and killing both Derek and his passenger Zachary Mendoza. His death came shortly after he graduated from Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson High School.

His sisters told KETV: “He would always cook for us, and all his friends, whenever they came to the house, he loved to cook, he was going to go to culinary school.” They said he “definitely lived on the edge, but he was responsible, he went to work, came home.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk