On Thursday’s episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, Mackenzie McKee made the decision to look into filing for full custody of her three children after revealing that her ex-husband, Josh McKee, rarely sees their kids and allegedly ignores two of them.
During the episode, Mackenzie asks her children if they’ve spoken to their dad lately and sadly, her two youngest children– 10-year-old daughter Jaxie and 7-year-old son Broncs– reveal that their dad has stopped responding to their texts and calls.
“He answers Gannon but not me,” Jaxie says, referring to her 13-year-old brother. Gannon backs Jaxie’s statement, telling his mom and siblings that he doesn’t even have to call his dad because his dad contacts him.
“He doesn’t call me or answer me,” Broncs reiterates, with Jaxie noting that when her dad was supposed to attend one of her cheerleading competitions, he cancelled at the last minute, claiming he had plans that day.
Despite seemingly being the only McKee kid in Josh’s good graces, Gannon tells his mom and siblings that he learned years ago that his dad isn’t a man of his word.
“Like, don’t trust his word,” he adds.
Later in the episode, Mackenzie speaks to Briana DeJesus about Josh’s lack of involvement in the kids’ lives. Frustrated by the ongoing situation, she tells Briana that she’s considering filing for full custody, although Briana warns her that when it comes to deadbeat dads and custody, “multiple lawyers” have advised her not to “open a can of worms.”
“If they’re not bothering you, just leave it as is,” she says, later adding that Mackenzie should consider speaking to a lawyer to see if she gets a different response.
Later in the episode, Mackenzie tells her fiance, Khesanio Hall, that she does want to speak to a lawyer, explaining that, while Josh isn’t involved very much in her kids’ lives, she’d prefer that he “not [exist] in their life at all.”
“What I want is for Josh to be more involved in their life and he’s just not,” Mackenzie tells viewers. “These kids love their dad, but Khes is also dad now and he is consistency and he has been solid for two years. Josh and I were together for 10 years and I can’t even tell you that a month my kids had something that was solid.”
As fans of ‘Teen Mom’ know, Josh has been mostly absent from his three children’s lives since he and Mackenzie split in 2022, and in April of last year, Mackenzie revealed on Instagram Live that Josh was only in contact with their eldest child, Gannon– something viewers got to see for themselves on Thursday’s episode. Last summer, Mackenzie confirmed that she and Josh do not have a custody agreement and that Josh doesn’t pay child support. She also stated that Josh was aware that Khesanio had stepped in as a father figure to their three children and that he was allegedly totally fine with the arrangement.
“[Josh] has said, ‘Khesanio is doing a really good job raising these kids,’” Mackenzie said, noting at the time that she planned to give Gannon, Jaxie and Broncs the option to change their last names from “McKee” to “Hall” after she and Khessy tied the knot.
According to Josh’s Instagram page, he last spent time with Gannon and Broncs back in July.
“I wouldn’t want life any other way!” Josh captioned the video, despite the fact that his daughter, Jaxie, was noticeably absent from the outing. “God is good for who he is.”
New episodes of ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter’ air Thursdays on MTV.
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(Photos: MTV: Instagram)
22 Responses
Honestly it’s no surprise considering how he was in the beginning. Disappointing for the kids sake, but not a surprise.
He didn’t want any of the responsibility from the beginning and Mack isn’t holding him accountable. Cut him off from the kids and go for child support. He’s living like he doesn’t have 3 fkn kids and it’s embarrassing
What a POS. Unfortunately for the kids, Mackenzie’s fiancé would never be able to adopt them due to the Indian Child Welfare Act (and probably wouldn’t be allowed to change their last name). Josh is half Indian and likely an enrolled tribal member – his dad is full Cherokee (he was shown in an early episode of Teen Mom 3). Therefore, the kids are quarter. I hope this doesn’t affect Mackenzie’s ability to seek full custody.
So much about your comment made me sad. And I have so many questions. If Josh relinquished rights would Kess then be able to adopt? Would that make the children no longer considered tribe members, this ending any tribe benefits they may get?
They will still be tribal members so long as they can establish lineage, regardless of who adopts them or not. So thankfully, they will at least get some form of benefit for having that piece of crap for a father. I grew up with a father that was very similar and that he was only interested in my older brother and not my older sister and I and I remember how damaging it was to me at the time, and I remember being so young and wondering why I wasn’t as important as my brother. I hate that these kids are experiencing this right now. But I’m so glad that they have such a seemingly amazing father figure in their life.
I really hope she gets something in writing. If something happened to her, the kids would automatically go to Josh and that would be hell for those babies, even though I’m pretty sure he’d dump them on Mack’s dad or siblings.
Who the fuck doesn’t check on their kids during a HURRICANE?!? My kids dad and I are only 2 cities from each other, literally 30-45 min drives and during bad weather we always check in and make sure the kids are okay when with the other parent. How are you STATES AWAY and don’t check in and make sure they’re okay?!? Josh has always been a piece of shit, but that’s a new low.
Very true. Those kids would be so neglected if they lived with Josh or his family – Mackenzie has talked about how unstable Josh’s family is. Good to always have a will updated.
If this is all true, thank goodness those children have Khes in their lives. He seems involved, caring, and consistent. While McKenzie seems caring, she doesn’t seem good about discipline. Josh is such a POS.
This guy is definitely a keeper. Also everything he says makes sense, he doesn’t mumble like for example, Kail’s Elijah does.
as dumb as mackenzie has been i hope she gets therapy for the kids and doesn’t think khessanio’s presence is enough to forget their dad. it sucks having a dad who was only interested in being in your life because he was with your mom
What a POS. I’m glad they are least have a father figure in Khesanio
Mackenzie and Brianna’s situations are totally different so yeah a lawyers advice would be the best.
That being said,Mackenzie should’ve had a custody arrangement in place when she divorced Josh. And no way in hell would he be allowed to favor one child while virtually everyone ignoring the other two.
I don’t understand how her divorce was finalized with no custody or child support agreements entered.
Me either!
Right?! In my state, the divorce would not be finalized without a custody agreement. Even if they claimed that they’ll work out actual visitation themselves, there would have to be a formula for child support included in their paperwork, plus each party would have to provide proof of completing a co-parenting education class.
I have a coworker who had a very friendly divorce, and bought a house next door to his ex wife specifically so their kids could come and go from each parent very easily. In their divorce settlement, they had joint physical and legal custody, he was required to carry their insurance, they split uncovered healthcare bills and the costs of the kids’ activities, and he paid X amount of support a week (because he made more money). Their paperwork said visitation would be worked out between the parents, but still had stipulations worked out for vacations and holidays. Even though they’re good friends and committed co-parents, it still had to be in writing.
I don’t understand how Mack was able to get divorced with no child support or visitation order – that seems unlikely. Or is it that the court declared the actual divorce to be final, but the matters of support and custody are still pending (for how many years now)? In most states, a parent could refuse any visitation rights, but the state would still require them to pay child support.
I got divorced in OK and it went exactly as you said. A scheduled was worked out for holidays, child support, and even filing taxes were all in the divorce decree. We HAD to get it all hashed out before they would grant us the divorce.
Do we know anything about Josh’s background?
We’ve met all the other dad’s families at some point but his has been vacant. No excuses for his shitty dad status but might explain some things?
Josh is half Indian and his dad is full – he was featured on an early episode of Teen Mom 3. They are also from Oklahoma.
Mackenzie once said (on a podcast I believe) that Josh’s family was unstable.
I think the best thing Mackenzie did for herself and those kids was move out of her hometown. She has definitely grown, even though her voice is still like nails on a chalkboard haha.
No. There’s nothing to explain it. He has the personality of a wet dish rag. Also a lukewarm iq at best. He never liked Mack and treated her like shit. Unfortunately, her mom pressured her to stay with him. It was the “right” thing to do for Gannon.
That’s super shitty. And Josh being the deadbeat dad that he is has to post a “Wouldn’t want life any other way. God is good for who he is.” No, I guess Josh wouldn’t want life any other way. He has three children and he pays for none. He talks to his oldest every now and then probably to try and convince himself that he isn’t a POS dad. Then he ignores his other 2 like they don’t exist. He can date or go out every night and do whatever he wants to like he has no responsibility at all. And I guess he doesn’t.
I think he speaks to Gannon just cuz he is older now and they can talk about his dating life, something maybe Josh regrets he let go of so soon because he knocked Mack over. But the reality is…he was never an involved dad. Not even when they were together. So this is of no surprise unfortunately. (I seriously wonder what she ever saw in this guy…he doesn’t strike me as an intelligent guy)
One time when Gannon was an infant, Mac took Gannon over to Josh’s to visit and Josh never showed up. It kept getting later and later and Mac was sitting outside with the baby crawling around in the grass. It was sad.