This week, Amber Portwood lost custody of her son, James.
The same ex whom she attacked three years ago this month now has full custody of their young son.
For obvious reasons, many Teen Mom fans have complicated feelings about this, just as they do about Amber.
But castmate Catelynn Lowell is pouring out her heart and expressing nothing but sympathy.
On Thursday, July 28, Catelynn Lowell took to Instagram to offer her words and sympathies to Amber Portwood.
“I love you. I’m so sorry that this is happening,” she expressed.
This is sad “and SO undeserved,” Catelynn even claimed.
“He needs you in his life,” Catelynn alleged about 4-year-old James.
“And,” she insisted, “what they decided is so wrong on so many levels.”
Catelynn then reassured: “YOU [know your] truth and all the hard work you have done.”
“DONT let ANYONE make you think differently!” Catelynn implored Amber.
She then “I’m here for you forever and always.”
Even people who don’t necessarily dispute the court’s ruling can appreciate that Catelynn is offering Amber emotional support.
This week, a judge awarded sole legal and primary physical custody of James to Andrew.
Andrew had explained his need to move to California where he can work — in fact, he already has job offers.
Now, James will be moving there from Indiana with his father.
After the ruling made the news, Amber released a statement, as we previously reported.
“I’ve worked so hard to better myself and improve my relationships with my children,” she expressed.
“While I’ve always been candid about my past substance abuse and struggles with mental illness,” Amber said.
Amber argued that “a person should have the chance to redeem themselves.”
She continued: “And not be tethered to their problems from the past.”
Up to a point, that is true.
But is it safe to let a repeat domestic abuser redeem herself while entrusting a small child to her care?
From the court’s perspective, only part of this is about Andrew and Amber directly.
The most important thing is James and his safety and well-being. We hope that both parents would agree.
Amber argued that she has “spent years rebuilding bridges.”
“And,” she insisted, she “did everything that was required” of her.
Amber noted that this was “including submitting 21 negative drug tests and undergoing multiple psychological evaluations.”
“If your road has not been perfect,” Amber advised her fans and supporters.
“But you’ve worked hard to become a better, more stable and caring person today,” she continued.
Amber counseled them to “keep moving forward as I will.”
“I’ll never stop fighting for my children,” Amber vowed … or threatened.
She insisted that it is her children “who I love more than anything.”
Honestly, that statement by Amber is more or less what people have come to expect from her.
As you can notice in her statement, Amber tends to list the hurdles that she crossed after her latest domestic violence arrest.
She sometimes gives the impression — intentionally or not — that she feels entitled to forgiveness.
That is not the case. And it’s not entirely clear if Amber understands that her personal growth does not change the past.
Amber attacked Andrew with a shoe while he held their baby and then hacked at the door with a machete.
If Andrew decides that he wants to forgive her, that’s his business.
But her expectation that the entire world should forget that she is a domestic abuser is not reasonable.
Meanwhile, Andrew celebrated the court’s ruling.
“We endured the nightmare,” he shared after the news broke.
“Now,” Andrew declared, “we get to live the dream.”