Savannah Chrisley is sharing more updates about her family after her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, reported to prison on Juanry 17. The Chrisley Knows Best stars are incarcerated in Florida and Kentucky for their respective 12 and seven-year sentences over tax fraud convictions.
In the latest episode of her Unlocked podcast (recorded on January 24), Savannah said brother Grayson Chrisley “had a breakdown” after their mom and dad reported to prison. The 25-year-old called it the “the toughest week” of her life, adding that adjusting to life without her parents around “been hard,” and especially so as older sibling to a teen and a child.
Savannah is older sister to 16-year-old Grayson and 10-year-old Chloe Chrisley. Chloe is Savannah and Grayson’s niece and daughter of their brother, Kyle Chrisley, who’s estranged from father Todd. Todd and Julie adopted Chloe in 2016 and consider her to be their child. Brother Chase Chrisley is 26. Sister Lindsie Chrisley is 33 (she opened up about her father and step-mother’s prison sentences in December).
“It’s been hard to understand, process and also help two kids process what’s going on in our life,” Savannah said of this adjustment, adding that she’s in a “unique situation” of trying to emotionally support them through this shift.
“I’m helping to guide Chloe and Grayson through this process,” Savannah said. “And I’m having to guide them through this process as I’m trying to guide myself through this process which is very, very difficult.”
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“I’m trying to stand strong and not break and be strong for them,” she continued. “So they feel comfortable enough to break down, and it’s tough.” Savannah then gave an update on how her younger siblings are doing, noting that “it’s tough when your norm is no longer your norm.”
“Grayson is 16 years old, [and] there’s so much growth going on with him right now,” she shared. “And it breaks my heart to know that my parents are missing out on that.”
She continued, “Last night, Gray had a breakdown, and he’s trying to process my parents and the situation that they’re in and how that’s not the image that he wants to have of them.”
“Chloe at 10 years old is trying to process them being gone and missing her mom,” the Chrisley Knows Best star explained. “We were driving down the road the other day, and Chloe had so much anger towards the situation and she just said, ‘Why? They’re not bad people, they don’t belong there.’”
“She looked at me with tears just rolling down her face and said, ‘Guess what? I pray all the time. I pray for mom and dad to get home, I pray all day and guess what Sassy? Nothing happens – it doesn’t work,’” Savannah continued. “And when a 10-year-old says that to you, how do you respond?”
“What I’ve known for 25 years, my parents are gone and it’s tough,” she added, describing the loss of her normal. “My dad is my absolute best friend and I don’t just get to pick up the phone and call him. I don’t get to send him funny texts when something stupid or bad happens in my life … it feels like a slow death because in a way it is grief because I’m grieving my normal, I’m grieving the loss of my parents and what I know.”
Todd is serving his 12-year sentence in Federal Prison Camp Pensacola. Julie is serving her seven years in Federal Medical Center Lexington. Each will have to serve an additional 16 months probation after completing their sentences. They intend to appeal their case in the future.
