It’s no secret that Teen Mom star Amber Portwood has experienced hard times through the years. Between mental health issues and drug addiction, the MTV personality has been focused on getting her life sorted out. But recently, Amber’s daughter Leah Shirley made a bold confession about her stepmom, Kristina.
To recap, Amber and Gary Shirley welcomed Leah in 2008. They split for good in 2013. Gary married Kristina Anderson in 2015, and they welcomed a daughter, Emilee, that same year. Between Amber’s stints in jail and rehab, Leah grew extremely close with Kristina. In fact, the 16-year-old made a bold revelation on the most recent episode of Teen Mom.
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‘Teen Mom’ star Leah Shirley admitted she wants Kristina to adopt her.
@notty919.vr Leah opens up about Amber and their relationship #teenmomclips #teenmom #mtvclips #teenmomthenextchapter ♬ original sound – FYA_ALICIA
In the February 27, episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, Leah spoke to Cheyenne Floyd about wanting Kristina to adopt her.
“I haven’t really talked to [Amber] or seen her in a while. It’s fine,” Leah explained. “I don’t really care anymore. I kind of want Kristina to adopt me. I’ve been wanting it for a while just because Kristina’s been there for me since I was, like, in kindergarten and before that.”
Later, she asked Gary about the possibility.
In the same episode, Leah later discussed the conversation with her dad.
“I kind of told her about how I haven’t really seen Amber for a couple of months or heard from her, so I really just don’t care anymore if she comes around,” the teen told Gary of her chat with Cheyenne. “I don’t really want her to.”
Leah also spoke directly to Kristina, telling her stepmom, “When I was talking to Cheyenne, I also mentioned how I want you to adopt me. And I mentioned how I’ve been wanting that for a long time.”
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He issued an important warning about Kristina adopting Leah.
“It is one of those things where, as a father, I want to make sure you know if it’s 100, what you want,” Gary told his daughter.
To that, Leah replied, “I know that. I know it is.”
Gary continued, “I’m just saying, it’s like, once that happens, it would basically be for your mom, for Amber, it would be a big heartbreak for her. Which I know is not what you want to do, but it’s just part of the process.”
“It is literally what it is. She didn’t raise me,” Leah pointed out.
The father of two responded, “For me, it’s whatever you want.”
In the end, Gary said he would speak to a lawyer.
During their conversation, Kristina expressed her concern about if “something were to happen” to Gary, “what would happen to Leah?”
Gary then laid out a plan of action to further explore the idea of adoption.
“I think I want to speak to an attorney and at least just get the information. See what that would entail,” he said. “That’s the next step. I am going to call a couple of attorneys and see what they say.”
Previously, Amber said she ‘would never’ allow Kristina to adopt Leah.
In July 2024, a source spoke with Us Weekly about the idea of Kristina adopting Leah.
“Having Kristina adopt Leah would never happen on Amber’s watch,” the unnamed insider told the magazine. “She wants to be in Leah’s life. She is not looking to hand off parental responsibility to somebody else.”
