Savannah Chrisley’s relationship to her sister Chloe Chrisley might seem complicated to some, but she had a message for people who continue to refer to her as her “niece.”
Chloe, 12, is biologically Savannah’s older half-brother Kyle Chrisley’s daughter with his ex Angela Johnson. However, Savannah’s parents, Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley, adopted Chloe when she was still a toddler.
“My heart, honestly, breaks for Chloe because Chloe has not had an easy upbringing. Her biological parents turned their backs on her from a very young age,” Savannah, 27, told People in an interview published on March 8. “When my parents got custody of her, her biological father [was] completely out [of] the picture [and] mother [was] out of the picture. That was their choice.”
Savannah revealed that some people still refer to Chloe as her “niece,” and that “people want to use race to cause this huge divide,” but the Chrisley Knows Best alum is quick to shut them down.
“Her mother gave her away,” Savannah continued. “It wasn’t like my parents went out here and said, ‘Hey, I want a sixth child. We’re in the latter part of our life and we want a sixth child.’ No, they took Chloe because they loved her and they wanted to save her from a very bad situation. They wanted to give her the best life possible.”
She added, “When Chloe looks at me, she’s like, ‘That’s my sister.’ When people look at my dad and say, ‘Well, that’s Chloe’s grandpa.’ Chloe’s like, ‘Why do they keep saying that?’ So, when people make these public comments, they always want to put titles on things. When in reality, all they’re doing is hurting her. They’re hurting the child.”
However, the podcast host pointed out that Todd, 55, never insisted that Chloe call him “dad” or that she call Julie, 52, “mom,” and instead left it up to her.
“My dad fought against it because he felt guilt at the fact that his son’s child is now calling him dad,” Savannah explained. “My dad felt a guilt he never should have felt, because if Chloe’s biological father would’ve been a father, then we wouldn’t be in this position. And so, Chloe struggles with that. She hates it.”
Savannah is now currently the legal guardian of Chloe and her younger brother Grayson Chrisley as her mom and dad serve time in prison. Todd and Julie were sentenced to 12 years and seven years in prison, respectively, in November 2022 due to their involvement in a tax evasion case, Life & Style confirmed at the time. They began their prison sentences in January 2023, but they’re in the process of appealing their case.
While the job of acting as a parent might not have been in Savannah’s plans, it’s one that she has been happy to step into for her siblings.
“I could never imagine being a parent and having to give my child over to someone else. I don’t want that for anyone. But that’s what happened here. And so, I just took it as it came,” Savannah told the publication. “We are best friends. Me, Chloe, and Grayson. It’s like we’re the three best friends. It’s all three of us, and we just tackle everything together.”
