Tragic Details About Teen Mom 2's Kailyn Lowry
Trigger warning: this article mentions domestic violence and sexual assault
"Teen Mom 2" star Kailyn Lowry made a name for herself raising baby Isaac Elliott at 17 on MTV's "16 & Pregnant" back in 2010. She then subsequently starred on its spin-off show "Teen Mom 2" to chronicle her life as a young mother for 11 years. Behind the screen, Lowry has also ventured into the world of writing and landed herself on the New York Times bestseller list in 2014 with her authorial debut "Pride over Pity."
As her life has been largely portrayed on television, fans have watched the mom of seven smack down in classic MTV catfights, but also have seen, and read about, a much more vulnerable side of Lowry. She has been open about the relentless abuse she faced as a child, her estranged relationship with her mother and one of her children's fathers, and her battles with mental health; all the while she still somehow manages to parent seven kids differentiated by 14 years.
Her childhood was filled with abuse
The reality TV star posted a video to TikTok in August 2024 participating in the popular trend of revealing intimate aspects of one's life juxtaposed with dumping candy into a bowl and making a 'candy salad.' The internet can be an interesting place.
"When I was 6 months old, I was kidnapped and my mom found me in the hospital with pneumonia," she said before dumping a bag of Swedish Fish, but it didn't stop there. "When I was 9 years old, I woke up with a strange man in my bed. I have no idea how he got there, who he is or where he went afterwards," she continued, followed by a bag of sour candy. She later revealed that, "When I was 14 years old, I lost my virginity on a sidewalk without even knowing what sex was." Lowry continued revealing heartbreaking information without much elaboration, but she did it with a smile on her face. That being said, the point of the trend is to use humor as a way to dismantle the brutality of certain traumatic situations, and it's safe to say that Lowry nailed it.
She has been estranged from her mother for years
Sprinkled throughout the candy salad video, Lowry revealed some insight into her relationship with her mother, adding that there were points where "she hadn't seen her for days," as a kid, and that she "showed up under the influence to pick her up from school." Needless to say, the two have been estranged and on rocky ground for many years.
During an episode of her podcast, "Coffee Convos," in January 2024, Lowry revealed that her mom had attempted to reach out after years of no contact. "I forgot what she said. I think it was, 'I love you, and I always will,' ... but I messaged her back, 'Then how could you walk this earth knowing that you have all these grandkids and you don't care?'" Lowry's mother didn't take lightly to the heated message about her strained relationship with her grandkids, as she bit back with her response. "She was like, 'Um, and your life? Walk a mile.' And I was like, 'Ma'am, you made my life hard. You very much f***** me up.'"
She's suffered from a miscarriage
Viewers of MTV's "Teen Mom 2," watched the tragedy of Kailyn Lowry's miscarriage unfold during Season 7 in 2016. In an interview with People, Lowry detailed what it was like to capture the grief on camera. "MTV and the producers were very sensitive to the situation and just understood that I wasn't necessarily ready to talk about it as soon as it happened," she said, "but I think at the end of the day I'm going to help more people by [talking] about it, so that's what kind of keeps me going through the whole thing."
The heartache was more than Lowry and her then-husband, Javi Marroquin, could bear. During said season 7 episode, the TV star acknowledged the distance that the devastating loss put on their marriage, as both of them were mourning differently. "He was just a different person. He was mean to me, we weren't communicating. He shut down, it was like a light switch, everything changed," she acknowledged. "I went home and I was still bleeding. So every single time I went to the bathroom I was reminded of it, where he was like 'OK, you miscarried now I have to get over it, go to work, go about his day.”'
The couple ultimately divorced in 2016, and a source revealed to Us Weekly when the news of their split went public, "They've been unhealthy for a while, and Kail knew divorce was inevitable, there was always a disconnect."
She had to file a defamation lawsuit against a co-star
Sparks flew between Kailyn Lowry and her "Teen Mom" co-star Briana DeJesus, and not in a romantic way. It all started when DeJesus began a relationship with Lowry's ex-husband, Javi Marroquin, in 2017. Though the relationship put a bad taste in Lowry's mouth, the two would break up the following year in 2018. Regardless, things would continue to heat up for the moms.
In June 2021, Lowry filed a defamation lawsuit against DeJesus after she claimed that Lowry physically assaulted her ex and baby daddy, Chris Lopez, after breaking into his home (per Us Weekly). The court battle was a lengthy one, but in April 2022, the judge ultimately dismissed the case in DeJesus' favor, based on the fact that Lowry had previously been arrested (though the charges had been dropped), according to Celebuzz.
Lowry expressed her disdain on her Instagram story, writing, "While today's ruling is unfortunate, I have to respect the judge's decision," she continued, "With that being said, I stand by my truth and the information spread about me is still not true. I would like to thank my legal team for fighting for me, and I am looking forward to life after this lawsuit so I can focus my energy solely on my boys and my future business endeavors."
She's struggled with her self-image and mental health after surgery
Kailyn Lowry received a breast reduction in December 2024 and was having second thoughts mere weeks after the procedure. The MTV alum took to Instagram in January 2025 with an Instagram reel and revealed how she was feeling after going under the knife.
In the get-ready-with-me style video, Lowry revealed that it was her first time doing her makeup since her surgery, but she couldn't help but feel post-procedure clarity. "I pray that my kids never struggle with their body images enough to mutilate their bodies to be skinny," the mother candidly admitted. Later, she detailed the mental turmoil her decisions have made her endure, despite receiving a Brazilian butt lift, a tummy tuck, and injections in the past. "I'm struggling this time around. I don't know if it's cause I have a daughter now ... my sons too, I don't want them to experience this level of body dysmorphia." She then disclosed her temptation to get more work done when she knew she was going to be put under anesthesia, and that she was willing to bend over backward "just to be skinny," even after giving birth to seven children.