I know someone who works for one of these shows (not this one, but one like it), and you wouldn't believe how greedy some of these families are. They agree to do the show on certain terms, then they try to sucker the producers for everything they can get and complain when they don't get it.
Given that, I don't buy this sob story.
I remember when The Bachelor called us up for something because they were "reshooting" the ending because it didnt test well.