'Teen Mom' Amber Portwood pleads guilty to domestic battery and intimidation, avoids jail

Amber Portwood, an Indiana woman who starred in MTV's "Teen Mom," pleaded guilty Thursday to two felony charges of domestic battery and intimidation, according to the Marion County prosecutor's office. 

The charges stemmed from a July incident in which Portwood allegedly swung a machete at her boyfriend as he held their young son at a home near Geist Reservoir, according to court records. A probable-cause affidavit says Portwood became upset and blamed her boyfriend after the couple was unable to attend a July Fourth fireworks show at the reservoir because the roads had been closed.

Portwood was sentenced to 906 days of probation, according to a plea agreement in the case. If Portwood violates her probation, she will be sentenced to five years in the Indiana Department of Correction, according to the agreement.  

The agreement says Portwood "may leave Marion County and/or the State of Indiana for employment purposes." Any travel requests that don't pertain to employment are subject to approval, the agreement says. 

Portwood must also undergo mental health evaluation and treatment, substance abuse evaluation and treatment, random urine and/or breath testing and 26 weeks of court-ordered parenting classes, according to the plea agreement. She must also not contact her boyfriend, except through an app to arrange visitation or custody exchanges, according to the agreement.

IndyStar is not naming the man because he is a victim of domestic abuse.

In the July incident, the man dropped Portwood off at the home and drove around for a while. When he came back to the home, Portwood struck him in the shoulder with a sandal while he held their 1-year-old son, according to the probable-cause affidavit. 

The man left with their son and drove around for several hours to give Portwood time to cool off. When he returned, court records say, Portwood was still enraged.

She chased him and ordered him to put down their son. He refused. Portwood threatened to kill herself, then swallowed a handful of Klonopin anti-anxiety pills, which she soon regurgitated, according to the affidavit.

"(Portwood's boyfriend) stated Ms. Portwood picked up a machete towards him and their son," Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Detective Linda White wrote in the court document.

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The man locked himself in an office as Portwood swung the machete and kicked the door, breaking the handle. After slashing the door, Portwood broke down and cried. She was on top of the stairs, weeping and talking to herself as the man quickly left with the child and waited outside for police, according to the affidavit.

Portwood denied taking the pills and using the machete. She admitted she struck the man with the shoe while he held the boy, "but stated that 'it was in the shoulder and I barely hit him,'" according to court documents.

Portwood was previously charged in November 2010 with domestic battery and other crimes after the show "Teen Mom" aired video of Portwood attacking her former fiance in August 2009. The couple's then-1-year-old child was present at the time of the incident.

She pleaded guilty to two felony charges of domestic battery and served nearly two years in the Department of Correction, court records show.

Portwood and then-fiance Gary Shirley were the subjects of the third episode of the first season of MTV's "16 & Pregnant," which aired June 25, 2009. It documented how Portwood and Shirley prepared for the birth of their child while Portwood was a senior in high school.

"Teen Mom," which first aired on Dec. 8, 2009, reconnected with Portwood and others who were on "16 & Pregnant." The show recorded Portwood's struggles as a young mom, which led to strained relationships with her family and Shirley. Portwood is seen in the show striking Shirley, and that footage eventually led to her domestic violence conviction.

She also talked about her struggles with addiction and mental health issues. In 2017, she said she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.

She last appeared on "Teen Mom," which is now titled "Teen MOM OG," in November 2017, according to IMDB.

IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert contributed to this report. 

Call IndyStar reporter Andrew Clark at 317-444-6484 or email him at andrew.clark@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Clarky_Tweets.