Savannah Chrisley opens up about hope for her parents’ future, raising her teenage brother and niece

Savannah Chrisley opens up about her life after her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley were imprisoned and shares her hope for their future.

The couple, who became famous thanks to their show “Chrisley Knows Best,” were sentenced in November 2022 to a total of 19 years in prison for charges of fraud and tax evasion. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 16 months of probation while Julie was sentenced to seven years in prison and 16 months of probation.

Their case was sent back to a federal appeals court in Atlanta on Friday as they seek an appeal to review what they say was a miscarriage of justice.

During the 30-minute hearing, Todd and Julie Chrisley’s attorney argued they deserved a new trial. Although the Chrisleys were not present in court, their attorney says they were both able to listen live from the jail.

“The main issue we were discussing was whether any of the witnesses had testified falsely and whether the prosecution had knowledge of that,” attorney Alex Little said.

Savannah, who traveled from her home in Nashville to support her parents, said it was a step toward bringing her parents home because she believes in law and order.

“I believe we should have a system that holds people accountable, but the government also needs to be held accountable,” she said.

In an interview with “Nightline’s” Juju Chang ahead of the appeal hearing and airing in full tonight at 12:37 a.m. ET, Savannah reflected on the moment she said goodbye to Chris and Julie before the two do not report to prison in January 2023.

MORE: Savannah Chrisley Details Her ‘Total Depression’ After Parents’ Imprisonment

“I just watched them standing in their room, hugging and kissing and not knowing,” she recalls. “You know, at this point, you’re only hearing 12 years, seven years. And that’s a long time to be away from someone you’ve been together with for almost 30 years.”

Since her parents’ imprisonment, Savannah, 26, has been raising the youngest members of her family, her little brother Grayson, 17, and her niece Chloe, 11. The latter was raised by Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley due to their son Kyle Chrisley’s struggles with substance abuse.

When asked if there was any doubt that she would be the one to take on guardian responsibilities, Savannah said, “Oh, I think it was just an unspoken thing that we knew. “

Savannah said she and her family are using therapy as a tool to help them adjust to their new normal.

“Both kids go to therapy every week,” she shared. “Unfortunately, they have to grow up a lot faster, but I’d rather help them properly teach them what’s going on than have the world step in and maybe teach them something that’s not factual.”

Following the Chrisleys’ 2022 conviction, an attorney for the couple said in a statement to multiple media outlets at the time that they planned to challenge their convictions, saying the trial had been “marred by serious and repeated errors » and that they were “optimistic about the road ahead.”

The couple also claimed conditions behind bars were poor, including that the food was out of date.

In a statement to ABC News, the Bureau of Prisons said it does not comment on specific individuals, but wrote in part that the quality of food served is a priority and that its mission is to “provide healthy, nutritionally sound and appetizing meals.”

During the interview with “Nightline,” Little said he considered Friday’s hearing of their case a small victory, regardless of the outcome.

“It means the judges are taking this seriously,” Little explained. “They want to hear both sides, and they’re digging into the record.”

As the legal challenge continues, Savannah said she still remains hopeful that her family will be reunited soon.

In the meantime, she said she’s keeping her head high, staying positive and motivated by “reliving the image of my parents coming home.”

Doc Louallen of ABC News contributed to this report.

Savannah Chrisley talks hope for her parents’ future and raising her teenage brother and niece, originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com