38-Year-Old Defends His Questionable Behavior With 16-Year-Old Niece

Sixteen-year-old Grace got this note from her 38-year-old Uncle Kevin: "I love you with all of my heart. The way I love you is unique, and I don't know how to explain it. You have also made me feel very special." Is he just an adoring uncle who feels exceptionally close to his niece, whom he took under his wing after her father died of cancer ... or is there something more inappropriate going on?

Grace's mom, Bridget, says she grew concerned that it could be the latter after she discovered an empty bottle of whipped cream in her daughter's room, which Grace says Kevin asked her to lick off his neck. He says putting the whipped cream on his neck was "a bad joke,” and he doesn’t remember asking Grace to lick it off. When Bridget discovered the letter, she turned to Dr. Phil for help.

Watch their story from Monday's episode of Dr. Phil: "I'm Worried My Brother-In-Law Is Having An Affair With My 16-Year-Old Daughter."

"Without sensitivity to how things appeared, unintentionally, I think you kind of ran some red lights along the way," Dr. Phil tells Kevin, who agrees in the video above that his wording was not ideal and that the whipped cream incident was wrong.

When Dr. Phil points out that Kevin's Valentine's Day gifts for his niece were more thoughtful and appealing than the mug he bought for his wife, Kevin explains, "If you knew how upset she was at that time with her father passing ... What I thought in my heart is this little girl, her father probably would have bought her something for Valentine's Day."

Dr. Phil tells him: "You have run red lights, you have crossed boundaries with her. Personally, I don't think you've molested this girl."

"Of course not," Kevin says.

"I think that's a matter of timing," Dr. Phil adds. "I think you could lose yourself in this relationship. You have incredibly bad judgment ... I'm telling you, you're headed for peril here ... I'm trying to give you a sobering wake-up call before you do something incredibly stupid."

This episode of Dr. Phil, "Uncle Kevin Answers The Accusations" airs Tuesday -- watch more here.