Dad defends marrying woman 16 years younger who looks 'exactly like his daughter'

A dad in a 16-year age gap relationship has hit back at trolls who claimed his wife looks like 'his daughter'.

Chris, 44, has been branded a 'cradle snatcher' due to his relationship with 28-year-old Savana, who he met when she started working for him as a hair stylist.

Instagram/@savana_chapin

The Arizona-based salon owner was going through a divorce at the time and admits his life was 'in a tailspin' because of his split.

The couple have opened up to the YouTube channel Love Don't Judge.

Savana said: "We met when I came to his salon and I interviewed there as a stylist and wasn't interested in having any kind of relationship because I just left one."

Once his divorce was settled, Chris began finding excuses to spend more time with his young employee at work.

Chris explained: "Once I was separated from my situation, the more I would talk to her, be around her. I felt there's something super special there that I had never really felt before."

Initially, the couple kept their romance a secret as they anticipated being judged due to the age difference.

The situation was particularly awkward because Chris' daughter Tizzi worked alongside Savana at the salon.

When they finally went public with their romance, the loved up couple faced a backlash from their friends and family.

Savana said: "Tizzi was originally very thrown off."

Instagram/@tizzichapin

To make matters worse, Savana began sharing insights into her relationship on TikTok, attracting negative comments.

Savana said: ""I had made the mistake of putting my age above where I was and her [Tizzi's] age above where she was [in one of my videos]," Savana said.

"It just started this big massive tornado of negative comments - most of them were geared towards Chris."

The brutal comments spared no expense in criticising Chris for dating a younger woman.

One comment read: "I would be traumatised if my dad married someone who looks exactly like me".

While another said: "Do you want to date your daughter?"

Despite the immense negativity towards their relationship, the pair got wed and have since had three children together.

Savana says she now has a greatly improved relationship with Tizzi - as the 21-year-old now dances with her slightly older step mother on TikTok.

She said: "A lot of comments now are like 'I wish I could have this relationship with my step mum'.

"We're just one big family and it doesn't matter what anyone says because we're happy and that's all that matters."