Who are Brynn Whitfield’s parents? 'RHONY' star's tragic past saw duo serving prison time for fraud and theft
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: The backstory of 'The Real Housewives of New York City' star Brynn Whitfield's dysfunctional parents was revealed in court records.
During the August 6 episode of 'RHONY,' the stunning reality star sobbed in front of the cast about not having many relatives.
Brynn admitted to cameras that she barely spent the first six months of her life with her parents before being placed for adoption.
Darlene Heslin, her maternal grandmother, looked after her and her siblings, Daris and Trina.
The Real Housewives' newbie revealed to her castmates that her parents "got into some trouble" and that it was "my dad doing all that stuff—and the bad stuff."
The US Sun acquired the court records and was the first to discover what Brynn was alluding to on the Bravo show.
Brynn Whitfield opens up about her tragic past
The PR guru spoke up about her difficult past over "Brynnsgiving" at Sai De Silva's $4.7 million brownstone at the end of Sunday's episode.
"We lived in “Section 8 housing. It wasn't a good situation. We were poor as f**k - welfare, food stamps, everything," she said to her castmates over dinner, which included Sai, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, and Jessel Taank.
Brynn also claimed she had been subjected to "abuse and neglect" and that "I wasn't picked up for six days, or my diaper wasn’t changed."
"I think it's fine we talk about how hurt I was because I'm so focused on the fact that the two people that were supposed to love me didn't, or couldn't. Couldn't, not didn't," she explained to producers.
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Who is Brynn Whitfield's father?
Alton Duane Whitfield of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was in and out of jail from 1978 until the mid-1990s, according to court documents obtained by The US Sun.
He was charged with a variety of offenses throughout the years, including issuing checks with insufficient cash, theft, burglary, retail fraud, and possession of a prohibited drug. Brynn's biological father died in November 2003.
Alton died at the age of 51, and according to his obituary, he "had some struggles early in his life," but finally "turned his life around." Throughout his life, the Eastern Michigan University alum had eight children, including Brynn and her two brothers.
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Who is Brynn Whitfield's mother?
During Brynn's upbringing, her mother, Jill Marie Mitchell, had similar run-ins with the authorities. In fact, months after placing Brynn for adoption, the now-58-year-old Michigan native was sentenced to jail.
She was imprisoned in June 1987, according to a representative for the Michigan Department of Corrections. She was subsequently sent to a community correctional center before being returned to jail in November 1988.
Jil was also sent to a community correctional center in 1989, then placed on parole in 1990, and finally released from parole in 1992. The allegations ranged from credit card law violations and checks with insufficient cash to false pretenses and fraud theft.
Brynn's family, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed additional information on the star's tragic history. Her mother was young and couldn't manage [parenting] at the moment, so she couldn't give Brynn the life that a child deserves. The relative stated that the conditions were not favorable.
"I know Jill always loved Brynn, it was just her lifestyle. She just didn't take care of her properly. I mean, there maybe was a shortage of food at times. It got to the point where something had to be done."
According to the relative, the young adult at the time placed her children for adoption and then went to prison. Brynn's mother, who was the manager of an apartment complex at the time, "hardly ever saw" her daughter after handing her children to Darlene.
Jill began a new life, ended her relationship with Alton after he reportedly "kicked her to the curb," and then married another guy. According to the relative, she had four additional children with her current husband, but Brynn was not close to her half-siblings.
"As far as I know, Jill's doing all right," the relative added. "She hasn't gotten into any more trouble or anything, but the time that elapsed between being with the children [and in prison], it was just too much. I think Jill did try to communicate with [the kids], but it just never worked out. They were separated for too long."
"I believe Jill attempted to communicate with [the kids], but it never worked out." They had been apart for much too long."
"[Brynn and her siblings] already established themselves with [Darlene] and she sent them to good schools, and they had a decent life," the relative added. "They had a good life. Bryn was very close to her grandmother. They communicated by phone. And she loved her very much."
According to her obituary, Brynn's grandma died in March 2021 at the age of 81. There was no funeral service to reconcile the family because of the pandemic, according to the relative.
Brynn became estranged from her family after graduating from Purdue University and moving to New York City and Los Angeles to pursue her profession. The relative claimed Brynn's brother Daris lives in South Korea and has been there since he left college to pursue a job as an English teacher. In the meantime, her sister is still in Michigan.
'RHONY' airs new episodes on Bravo on Sundays at 9 pm ET.