Credit: Instagram
On the first season of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Jo-Ellen Tiberi opened up about her tumultuous childhood.
Specifically, she recalled how her mother sent her away to rehab and behavioral corrections programs when she was a teenager, even though her behavior was normal.
She also alleged her mother was not maternal and “didn’t know how to be a parent.”
In an Instagram comment, Jo-Ellen’s mother, Nancy Desaint, clapped back at what Jo-Ellen said.
“Jo told her side of the story,” she began. “Let me tell mine. Both her mom and dad tried to get her the help she needed at that time. The last time she was sent to this facility by a Dr who witnessed her behaviors.”
“He found a placement for her,” she continued, “and it was for nine months.”
Her mom also insisted Jo-Ellen was “headed down a dangerous path” and “hanging out with an undesirable character.”
“And her behavior was out of control,” she added.
In another comment, she insisted she and Jo-Ellen’s dad “did this jointly.”
“I see you neglected to mention your dad doing this,” she added. “Blame your mom only. And you were not there for a year. I have the exact dates. Did you mention your behaviors got you sent away? Not your mom and dad.”
When a follower asked if they were related, Nancy responded, “Yes. Jo-Ellen is my daughter.”
Last month, Jo-Ellen opened up in an interview with USA Today about her mom.
“I wouldn’t call them boarding schools. They were like behavioral programs. People would get restrained, there were people who were cutting, there were people who were there for arson, there were people there for rape… It was really bad growing up,” she said.
Jo-Ellen shared that she had told her mom to “shut up” and jumped out of a window, and that’s how she ended up being sent away.
“I feel like the things that I did were normal teenage behaviors,” she continued, revealing her sister also got sent away to a “wilderness program” in Utah.
“Thank God that wasn’t what I had,” she added. “I mean mine were bad, but I couldn’t live outside for a day. She lived outside for 12 weeks and like would have to dig a hole and go to the bath – like I couldn’t do that.”
She also shared that she has talked to her mom about it and asked her how she could have sent her to these places.
Jo-Ellen shared that her mom told her she “didn’t know what to do” with her.
“And I’m like, ‘well I wasn’t that bad, you know, I think you didn’t know how to be a parent and I know it’s hard because I’m a parent and I don’t know what I’m doing, but it’s definitely not sending my children away to across… the United States for years like that’s just not normal to me’” she said.
She also noted she’s “very surprised” she came out as normal as she is, and she is “happy” she has a relationship with her mother, even though it’s not what she would like it to be.