JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

JavaScript

var apps = [
  { status: '', 
    date_created: 'Thu Sep 03 2015 17:24:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)'
  },
  { status: '',
    date_created: 'Thu Sep 02 2015 17:24:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)',
  },
  { status: '',
    date_created: 'Thu Sep 01 2015 17:24:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)',
  }
];

var x;
var arr = _.filter(apps, function(data) {
	return !!data.status.length;
});

x = _.chain( arr.length ? arr : apps )
	.sortBy(function(data) {
		return new Date(data.date_created).getTime();
	}).last().value();

console.log( x );