‘Teen Mom’ star Amber Portwood is facing domestic violence and battery charges, and is no longer living with her daughter, two-year-old daughter Leah.
According to an All Headline News report, Portwood and her ex-fiancé Gary Shirley appeared at a closed hearing on Tuesday in regards to the placement of the couple’s child. At this point, neither parent has been officially awarded child custody as Leah has been declared a ward of the state, which means a judge, will determine the girl’s guardianship, and appoints a government agency to look over her affairs.
This comes as news, as last week MSNBC reported that Portwood willingly gave up her child to go live with Shirley because she thought it was the best option for Leah at this point. Portwood said that due to all the photographers outside of her home, Child Protective Services just felt it would be safer for Leah to live with Shirley.
However, the decision to move the couple’s two-year-old to go live with her dad was made after authorities began an investigation looking into the alleged attacks that Portwood had made on Shirley.
According to sources, the investigation started seven weeks after a ‘Teen Mom’ episode aired that showed domestic violence by Portwood kicking, punching and slapping Shirley, all while the couple’s daughter watched.
At this point Portwood has formally been charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor, and if convicted she could serve up to three years in jail and have to pay up to $10,000 in fines.
According to All Headline News, the Department of Child Services will now assess Shirley’s home to make sure it is suitable for his daughter to be living in. The department will also continue to monitor Portwood’s behavior.
‘Teen Mom’ is a spin-off from the MTV television show ’16 and Pregnant,” which followed the lives of teenagers during pregnancy; with ‘Teen Mom’, the show continues to follow some of those girls during the first year of motherhood.
Source: The Kansas City Star, “TV Tidbits: ‘Teen Mom’ in trouble with the law, ‘Housewife’ bankrupt,” Pamela Sitt, 23 Nov 2010
