When MTV viewers were first introduced to Amber Portwood on 16 and Pregnant in 2009, she was a fierce teenager from Anderson, Indiana, navigating the daunting realities of young parenthood alongside her then-fiancé, Gary Shirley. At the center of their turbulent world was their newborn daughter, Leah.

Over the last decade and a half, fans have watched Leah grow up on television. However, behind the rolling cameras, the mother-daughter duo has faced a deeply painful reality—one that has culminated in a stark emotional distance.

Amber at Leah’s birthday

@notty.vr Replying to @ladyrain06🇧🇪 Amber has always had a way to make things about her. #teenmom #teenmomthenextchapter #teenmommtv #mtv #mtvrealityshow #mtvclips #teenmomclips #gary #leah ♬ original sound – ALICIA.NOTTY.VR

“Amber acts like a toxic/jealous big sister NOT a mom,” one fan described Amber’s behavior at the birthday party.