Ariel Winter tweeted news of her legal emancipation from her mother on Friday, May 15. Winter plays Alex Dunphy, an intelligent over-achieving high school daughter in the ABC channel series ‘Modern Family.’ Winter and her older sister filed charges in 2012 of physical and emotional parental abuse.
17-year-old Winter’s older sister Shanelle Gray filed to become her legal guardian in October 2012, which was allowed on May 2014 by court mandate. A year after after the judge’s order, Winter is officially emancipated from her mother Chrystal Workman.
“I am now officially emancipated!!! I'm really lucky I have an amazing support system and lovely people in my life who have given me the support and guidance to have been given this wonderful opportunity,” tweeted Winter on Friday, May 15.
The teenage actress also thanked her sister and father for all of their support. She commented that she could not have done it without their help. Winter thanked her family, friends, and fans for being a source of encouragement to her and expressed her excitement for her newfound freedom.
“Happy Mother's Day to the most amazing mother and sister out there @shanelle_gray! I love you more than words can even describe and I'm so lucky to have you as my sister,” tweeted Winter on Mother’s Day, May 10.
Winter is now under the legal guardianship of Gray, whom she looks up to as a role model, best friend, and mother figure. On Mother’s Day 2015, the actress tweeted a photo of herself and her older sister, thanking her for her love and support. She described her older sister as “an amazing mother, an amazing sister, and an amazing wife.” She closed the message by posting, “You’re amazing Shanelle. I love you to the moon.”
