Kriti Mehrotra
Directed and written by Stephen Tolkin, Lifetime’s ‘New York Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell’ is a movie that explores the unbelievable real-life tale of how a married mother working as a prison seamstress helped two convicted killers escape. In 2015, it came to light that David Sweat and Richard Matt had intentionally manipulated and seduced Joyce “Tilly” Michell into doing their bidding, but alas, it was already too late. With that, we can’t help but wonder what Joyce’s family, especially her son, endured during this time. So, let’s find out, shall we?
Who is Joyce Mitchell’s Son?
Joyce Mitchell and her first spouse, high school sweetheart Tobey Premo, welcomed their only son, Tobey Jr., in the early 1990s. However, following her infidelities, including one with her now-husband, Lyle Mitchell, the pair divorced in 1995, when Tobey Jr. was merely a year old. In an interview with Daily Mail, Tobey Premo confessed that he hasn’t been in his son’s life since the separation and that Lyle adopted him as soon as it was feasible. “The only time I have seen my son’s picture is on Facebook,” he said, adding that he actually thinks Joyce did a fine job raising him.
In 2015, though, when everything fell apart, Tobey Jr. spoke to NBC News and established that he would always stand by his mother. “She is not the kind of person that’s going to risk her life or other people’s lives to let these guys escape from prison,” he insisted. “She’s always been a good person. I mean, you can talk to anybody…and they’ll tell you [that Joyce and Lyle are] the nicest people.” Once Joyce was arrested, Tobey worried that Lyle wouldn’t be his father anymore, but he simply stated, “Of course, I’ve been your father for 20 years; I’m going to keep on being here for you.”
Where is Joyce Mitchell’s Son Now?
After Joyce Mitchell’s imprisonment, Tobey Mitchell had legal problems of his own in the small town of Shelburne, Vermont. At the age of 22, he was accused and apprehended on counts of first-degree aggravated domestic assault, second-degree unlawful restraint, and interfering with access to emergency services. This came as a result of his wife, Paige, alleging that he’d strangled her, an incident that had occurred “four to five times over the past year and over the past several months.” Tobey pleaded not guilty in early December 2015 and was released on a $5,000 bond.
Tobey Mitchell faced up to 15 years behind bars if he went to trial and was found guilty of the charges against him, but they were all dismissed about a year later. The Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office clarified that the decision to drop them came after he showed signs of growth and had completed the necessary counseling. Attorney Susan Hardin said, “It was a fair resolution for all concerned, weighing the victim’s situation and weighing his situation.” As for where Tobey is today, he likes to stay away from the limelight like his parents while dwelling in Ticonderoga, New York.
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