On the brand new Teen Mother: The Subsequent Chapter, Gary meets with a lawyer after Leah expressed her need to be adopted by her stepmom, Kristina, whereas the teenager additionally reiterates that she’s “scared” of how Amber would react.
Amber Portwood’s ex, Gary Shirley, is taking the primary steps for his or her daughter Leah to change into adopted by her stepmother.
On Thursday’s episode of Teen Mother: The Subsequent Chapter, Gary met with a lawyer to debate the opportunity of Leah getting adopted by his spouse, Kristina, after his daughter expressed how she desires to be adopted by her stepmom amid her estrangement from Amber.
And in accordance with the lawyer, they’ve “actually an excellent case for adoption.”
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Earlier than Gary and Kristina went to go to the lawyer, Trina Saunders, Gary shared his ideas and issues in a confessional.
“With the opportunity of Kristina adopting Leah, I am completely on board. It isn’t as simple as signing a examine or snapping your fingers; there’s rather a lot concerned,” stated Gary, who was granted full custody of Leah in 2011.
“Now we have to go to courtroom. That places quite a lot of strain on her,” he continued. “After which, what if her mother simply swiftly begins to take her, you recognize? It is a pressure on me. It is a pressure on poor Leah. I am not right here to harm Amber, however she should not be right here to harm Leah, both.”
“Any individual’s gonna get damage,” Gary added. “And the particular person [who’s] hurting essentially the most proper now could be Leah. I am ensuring my child does not undergo.”
Whereas it was already identified to viewers that Amber and Leah have been estranged, Gary informed the lawyer that Amber has solely seen Leah “4 days” within the “previous 12 months.”
When Saunders requested about baby help, Gary stated that it is not “enforced via the courtroom,” and claimed Amber is “behind” on funds.
And in accordance with Saunders, within the courtroom’s eyes, Amber’s absence in Leah’s life is taken into account “abandonment.”
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“As a result of she’s not had any important contact along with her mom during the last six months, that is deemed as abandonment,” the lawyer informed Gary and Kristina.
“I believe that adoption can be the best choice, as a result of in an adoption that severs that parent-child relationship that she has along with her mom, and you’ll change into her mom, and also you additionally can be positioned on the beginning certificates as her mom,” Saunders stated to Kristina.
“But when we will present that [Amber’s] deserted her daughter, then we do not want her mother’s consent,” she added.
Whereas Gary admitted that he thinks Amber would “contest” the adoption, Saunders famous that she believes that if it went to courtroom, they’d “be capable of present” that Amber has “not been” in Leah’s life, “she’s not supplied for her financially, [and] she’s not had important contact along with her in over six months.”
“I believe you’ve a extremely good case for adoption,” she acknowledged.
Though Gary admitted that that is “not one thing we needed to do,” he is involved about Leah’s well-being if one thing had been to occur to him.
“I do not see Amber being what Leah wants,” he stated. “I have to know that if one thing occurs to me, Leah’s protected.”
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The lawyer stated the “timeline” can be about “60 days” to start out the adoption course of.
Later within the episode, Gary and Kristina sat down with Leah, and relayed the data they obtained on the appointment.
Gary stated if “all the pieces was to go easily,” the adoption “may take three months.” Nonetheless, he informed Leah that if “Amber contests then it may take like a 12 months, it may take longer.”
“I believe the purpose right here is to be sure you’re wholesome and joyful and brought care of and you’ve got what you need,” Gary stated.
Leah — who turned 16 in November — voiced her concern that Amber may make the method “tougher.”
“By then, it would take two years, after which at that time, there’s not likely no level even going via all the difficulty for it,” she stated.
In a confessional, Leah shared her ideas, admitting that she actually desires Kristina to undertake her, however she’s “scared” of how Amber may react.
“I need to be adopted as a result of Kristina’s been there my complete life,” the teenager stated of her stepmom, who married her dad in 2015. “I imply, I actually need to do it, however I am scared it could make Amber mad. I do not like being imply to individuals.”
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“However I do not know, I simply really feel prefer it must be official, and it is greater than a chunk of paper to me,” she added.
Leah famous her hesitation to her dad and stepmom, earlier than noting that she’s going to “give it some thought” earlier than she decides.
Gary steered that Leah communicate to her therapist in regards to the state of affairs to see what will probably be “emotionally be greatest” for her and the “healthiest possibility.”
“I do know that your mother loves you,” he stated, “however for some purpose, she does not know easy methods to present it.”
Gary opened up additional in a confessional, telling the MTV cameras, “If it wasn’t for Kristina being in her life as a lot as she was, Leah would not have a mother. It might be no person.”
Kristina, in the meantime, stated that Leah is “going to weigh her choices” and “resolve what route she desires to go,” stressing that she “will do no matter she desires.”
“Nothing will change the way in which that I like that woman,” she stated, later assuring Leah, “I am not going anyplace. I like you, and I am there for you, and we’ll get via it.”
New episodes of Teen Mother: The Subsequent Chapter air Thursdays on MTV.
