MTV Leah Shirley, the daughter of "Teen Mom OG" alum Amber Portwood, was devastated after a judge ruled that Andrew Glennon and full legal and physical custody of James.
Leah Shirley, the daughter of “Teen Mom OG” alum Amber Portwood, was devastated after a judge ruled that Andrew Glennon has sole legal custody of James, her 4-year-old half-brother.
The decision means Glennon can move James from Indiana — where Portwood and Shirley live — to California, where his family is located. The judge asked that Glennon “consider” Portwood’s opinion when making major life decisions for James, according to The Sun.
Before issuing an official statement to her verified Instagram account, Portwood relayed Leah’s feelings on the family matter while responding to a fan.
“Me and Leah have an amazing relationship today and she is devastated!” Portwood wrote on the Teen Mom Fanz account, per The Ashley’s Reality Roundup.
Portwood Said She’s Been Sober for Years
In another unfiltered comment, Portwood said James was going to suffer because of the court’s decision.
“I did every single thing I needed to too including therapy every single week and also medication adjustment,” Portwood wrote. “I was still stable mentally for years now. It is not okay to attack a person with mental disorders especially if they have been clean from substances for multiple years and completely changed every wrongdoing.”
Portwood has been fighting for custody of James since she pleaded guilty to two felony charges of domestic battery and intimidation after she was arrested in July 2019. She was sentenced to nearly three years of probation, where she completed 21 negative drug tests.
Portwood was discharged from probation in April 2022 after she paid a fine of more than $1,000 and completed a six-month domestic violence class, according to The Sun.
Portwood Said James Will Suffer the Most
In the end, Portwood said her 4-year-old son is the one who is going to be the most affected by her losing custody.
“This is tragic and my son is the one who will be suffering the most when our lives are torn apart,” Portwood wrote. “It is not right to assume everything is true because it is not. I will not be nice about this situation anymore because none of this is okay.”
Portwood said she has taken all the steps to improve.
“If you change and are stable and have proven your stability then that matters,” the “Teen Mom OG” alum wrote via Instagram. “This is a loss for all mothers who change for peace and love in their children’s lives.. and just so it can be ripped away after years of fighting for something.”
Portwood feared that James would miss her when he moves to California.
“This will be a tragedy for many people and my poor son now has to wonder where his mother is. That boy absolutely adores me and I have built beautiful relationships with my children today and am very present in their lives,” she said. “This is not a win for my son at all. I pray for him and the sadness and confusion he will have.”
Although Portwood has posted about the situation at length, Glennon only issued a brief statement.
“We endured the nightmare,” he told E! News. “Now we get to live the dream.”