The Family Drama Surrounding Ariel Winter Keeps Getting More Confusing & Not At All Funny

Yesterday, our sister-site Crushable reported on the troubling allegations made against Ariel Winter‘s mother, Crystal Workman. Winter plays the middle child, Alex Dunphy, on the award-winning Modern Family. A judge ordered her to be removed from her mother’s care after charges that Workman abused her daughter, both mentally and physically. Now, Ariel’s mother and brother are speaking to the press and defending Workman, but the story seems to be getting more and more troublesome.

As Crushable EIC Jenni Maier pointed out, of course Crystal Workman is going to say that she never abused her daughter. She even claims to have proof in the form of letters from a doctor and “stylists” that she never harmed her daughter. The whole world is wondering why a stylist’s opinion would matter in such a case.

However, more surprising is that Winter’s brother Jimmy Workman has also come out in support of her mother. Ariel’s older brother was also removed from his mother’s care due to abuse allegations, but he claims that they’re all false. He told Us Weekly:

“There is no truth to these allegations. The allegations made 20 years ago are not true and the ones today are not true. This is a mother who does everything for her kids. Chris misses Ariel and wants her to come home.”

I’m sure that Jimmy feels like he’s supporting his mother. But I have to admit that I read that statement and immediately got more concerned for the 14-year-old actress caught in the middle of this media circus. If Winter’s mother was accused of abuse earlier in life and had her children removed from her care, I feel like that makes it a little more likely that at least some of the allegations have merit.

Right now, Ariel is in the care of her older sister, Shanelle Gray. It looks like the family battle has split down the middle with the two girls on one side and a mother and son on the other. Either way, I cannot imagine the pressure this must put on a young teen actress who’s personal life is getting increasingly stressful, all while in the spotlight.

I think at this point, every mother in the country is just hoping that this young girl can find a stable home and work out her personal issues away from the cameras. And as a fan of the show, I hope the adult actors and actresses step in and support their young co-star through such a difficult time.

(Photo: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN)