OJ Simpson’s Five Children from Two Marriages: Facts about Them All
O.J. Simpson's children have been living differently since their famous father became entangled in a high-profile murder case involving the death of his second wife. The athlete's children had expressed different opinions about his heinous crime.
Orenthal James Simpson, famously known as O.J. Simpson, shot to fame as a professional football running back, actor, and broadcaster. He has five children from his two former wives: Marguerite Whitley Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson.
O.J.'s relationships with his ex-wives were complicated. He has three children from his 12-year marriage to his first wife Marguerite: Jason, Arnelle, and Aaren, and two from his seven-year marriage to his late and second wife Nicole: Sydney and Justin.
O.J. Simpson and his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson along with their children Justin, Sydney, and Jason, attend a screening of "Naked Gun 33 1/" on March 16, 1994, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
Jason Simpson
The first and eldest son of O.J. and Margeurite, Jason was born in April 1970. According to private investigator William Dear's book "O.J. Is Innocent And I Can Prove It," the couple's eldest child was one of the suspects in Nicole's murder case.
Dear claimed that Jason was the culprit due to his criminal record, was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and displayed symptoms of mental illness. Despite the allegations, Jason has maintained a low profile and has since worked as a chef in Atlanta.
Jason and Arnelle Simpson at their father O.J. Simpson's trial on January 26, 1995. | Source: Getty Images
Arnelle Simpson
Arnelle, the former couple's second child and oldest daughter, was born in December 1968. Arnelle spent most of her younger years admiring her father's long and impressive football career.
But after she discovered her father's alleged crime, their relationship changed drastically. One of the factors that led to the estrangement between her and O.J. was financial difficulties.
O.J. Simpson and his daughter Arnelle Simpson at the Forge restaurant on June 20, 2007, in Miami Beach, Florida. | Source: Getty Images
In 2012, O.J. became enraged with Arnell over an unpaid mortgage on his South Florida home. He also fought with his daughter about her alcohol problem. A source reportedly added:
"O.J. fought with Arnelle all the time about her drinking, and he tried for years to get her married to get her out of his house."
Arnelle Simpson at the Clark County District Court evidentiary hearing on May 13, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images
Aaren Simpson
Aaren, O.J's youngest daughter, was born in September 1977. Aaren was only a toddler when she drowned in the family's swimming pool by accident in August 1979, just a few weeks before her birthday. She later died of respiratory failure.
The untimely death of their youngest child occurred several months after O.J. and Marguerite divorced in March 1979. The disgraced footballer married his first wife in June 1967, when she was only 19 years old.
Strangely, O.J. began dating Nicole, a former nightclub waitress he met in 1977, while he and his first wife were still married. He only married Nicole in February 1985, five years after he had retired from the sport.
O.J. Simpson and his wife Marguerite Whitley Simpson attend a movie premiere in 1977, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Sydney Brooke Simpson
Born in October 1985, Sydney Brooke is O.J.'s first and eldest daughter from his second marriage to Nicole, which lasted from 1985 to 1992. Their daughter was only nine when her mother tragically died.
After graduating from Gulliver Academy, Syndey attended Boston University, where she earned a degree in sociology. After a brief time in Atlanta, Georgia, she ultimately settled in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
In addition to owning a home in Florida, Sydney is also the owner and operator of a property management company known as Simpsy LLC. She has been living privately and does not hold any social media accounts.
O.J. Simpson with his children Justin and Sydney Simpson at the funeral of their mother, Nicole Brown Simpson on June 16, 1994, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Justin Ryan Simpson
O.J.'s final and youngest son, Justin Ryan, was born in August 1988. Justin and his older sister avoided the spotlight as children and maintained their privacy into adulthood. Justin, like his sister, was five years old when their mother died.
The siblings were asleep in bed when their mother and her friend Ron Goldman were murdered outside her building.
According to a 2016 Tampa Bay Times article, Justin lives in the same city as his sister, where he works as a real estate agent in DHM Real Estate Group. In contrast to his sister, he has a Twitter account, but he only uses it for business.
What O.J. Simpson's Kids Think About His Scandal
Several people have claimed that Sydney believes O.J. is to blame for her mother Nicole's death. Sydney seemingly couldn't bear looking at her father and was ashamed to call herself his daughter.
However, as he is her last remaining parent, she has reportedly tried to forgive him. Arnelle, on the other hand, was her father's main supporter, diligently attending his court hearings while he was on trial for murder.
Arnelle also testified on her father's behalf, expressing her devastation over the death of her stepmother. Arnelle took over O.J.'s estate after he was arrested for the second time on kidnapping and robbery charges.
Arnelle made it possible for O.J. to continue earning an income while incarcerated. As for Sydney, life had not been made any easier by her mother's death or her father's arrest for murder.
Going out in public scared her, and she despised the constant scrutiny from the press. She changed her name to Portia for safety reasons, avoided media attention, and chose to remain silent about her father's legal troubles.
Sydney and Justin lived with their mother following their parents' divorce. The siblings were asleep in bed when their mother and her friend Ron Goldman were murdered outside her building.
They may not have seen the murder, but it nevertheless scarred them. After completing his post-secondary education, Justin moved to Florida and distanced himself from the public spotlight on his father.
Some people have remarked about Justin's similarities with his infamous father. Meanwhile, Jason Simpson accompanied his sister Arnelle to several court hearings.
Despite his certainty that O.J. was not a murderer and was not guilty of the charges, he did not provide any testimony in his father's defense. Jason, like his step-siblings, remained mum about the murder case and avoided discussing it in public.