Savannah Chrisley: Mom Julie Fell Ill in Overheated Prison

Savannah Chrisley recently opened up about the harrowing conditions her mother, Julie Chrisley, faces in prison and the bittersweet moments during visitation. Savannah, a 26-year-old reality TV star, discussed her most recent visit in a Lexington, Kentucky prison on her Unlocked podcast, revealing a mix of heartbreak and joy.

During her visit, Savannah observed the contrasting experiences of different families. “I was able to see her and that was really tough because I was sitting in that visitation room and there was one family and you could tell that the young teenage kids were just struggling a lot. And they ended up screaming at their mom and leaving in tears. The mom was in tears. They were in tears. The whole thing was just so heartbreaking,” she shared. “And then you had another family, they were so happy and hugging and laughing because it was their last visit before she went home.”

The stark differences between these families highlighted the transient joy of reunions and the ongoing struggles within the prison walls. Savannah mentioned feeling happy for the family ready to reunite, while also confronting the harsh reality of her mother’s situation. The visitation room, with its air conditioning, becomes a brief respite from the grueling conditions outside.

“It was also tough too because in the visitation room, thank goodness, there’s air conditioning. But outside the visitation room there is zero air conditioning. And the heat index was 105, 110 [degrees] and that’s what Mom’s living in, is in conditions like that with absolutely no air,” Savannah stated. “And it can be 100 degrees inside the building. She literally said that she got physically sick because she got so hot. So, you have these women who are suffering from heat exhaustion and they’re passing out. But yet, there’s service dogs that have air conditioning. None of it makes sense to me.”

These conditions, Savannah argues, are inhumane. The lack of basic amenities like air conditioning makes Julie’s time all the more unbearable, making her look forward to visitation as a reprieve. “It is so beyond inhumane that you cannot make it up. And it’s tough,” she continued. “Mom is super excited for visitation because she got to be in an air conditioned room. It makes me realize how much we take for granted. How we just walk in a place and it’s air conditioned, and that’s the normal. Unfortunately for these men and women it’s just not, and it’s really tough to hear those struggles.”

Julie Chrisley began serving her five-year sentence in January 2023 after being convicted in 2022 for federal tax evasion and bank fraud. Recently, federal appeals judges ordered the lower courts to throw out her sentence, leading to re-sentencing. No date has been set for this hearing yet, but Savannah remains hopeful that her mother will be home by Thanksgiving.

Regarding her father, Todd Chrisley, Savannah mentioned that his appeal was rejected. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in a minimum-security facility, the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Pensacola, Florida. Savannah, who also visited Todd recently, shared an emotional moment with her father. “He was crying, like, happy tears knowing that Mom could be home,” she said on her podcast. “That’s the only thing he cares about right now is getting her home.”

Despite the incredibly challenging circumstances, the Chrisley family remains hopeful for a future reunion, drawing strength from these visits and the slight victories along the way. While awaiting Julie’s re-sentencing, the family’s only desire is to be back together as soon as possible.

Source: Entertainment Tonight