Amber Portwoodisn’t giving up after ex Andrew Glennon was awarded custody of son James Andrew, 4, and granted permission to move the preschooler from Indiana to his family’s estate in Malibu, California.
On Wednesday, an Indiana judge ruled that son James will move to California with his dad after a difficult and ongoing custody battle between theTeen Momstar, 32, and Glennon, a rep for Portwood confirmed to PEOPLE.
Acknowledging her history of substance abuse and mental health struggles, Portwood notes, “a person should have a chance to redeem themselves and not be tethered to their issues from the past.”
“People who’ve done therapy, and taken classes, and made efforts to change should not continue to be punished for past mistakes,” she continues. “I’ve spent years rebuilding my bridges and did everything that was required of me, including completing 21 negative drug tests and multiple psychological evaluations.”
Portwood concludes with a message of encouragement to others who may be struggling. “If your road has not been perfect, but you’ve worked hard to become a better, more stable and caring person today, keep moving forward,” she urges.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“[I’ll] never stop fighting for my children who I love more than anything. I’ve been living in a nightmare for so long, trying to prove myself. I wouldn’t wish this unbearable pain on any mother or father.”
The new custody arrangement will see Portwood having overnight visitation for the first time since 2019. In order to introduce the preschooler to his new schedule, overnights will be phased into Portwood’s time with James, which will alternate between Indiana, where both Portwood and Glennon currently live, and California, where Glennon will move with James to a family home.
Amber Portwood/Instagram; Andrew Glennon/Instagram
“She loves her son more than anything and has always tried to be the best mother to him. She’s not perfect, but this was a really dramatic thing to happen.”
The insider added that Portwood is currently “contemplating what options she has to fight this,” and feels frustrated after how far she’s come.
“She’s continuing to go to therapy to better herself and has done this consistently for three years straight,” the source said.
Amber Portwood, Andrew Glennon.Steve Granitz/WireImage
Glennon did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The court battle began in 2019 after Portwood was arrested for attacking Glennon while he was holding their son. The day after the incident, Portwood waschargedwith domestic battery, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon and domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old.
In October 2019, Portwood was sentenced to two and a half years of probation, as well as court-ordered parenting classes. According toThe Sun, Portwood successfully completed her probation — which included a 26-week Batterer’s Intervention Program and over $1,000 in fines — and was officially discharged from probation in late April 2022.
In addition to James, Portwood also has a daughter,13-year-old Leah, with exGary Shirley.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
