Amber Portwood in Jail for Beating Up Boyfriend in Front of Daughter

Amber Portwood, also known as “Teen Mom” because of the MTV reality show of the same name, is spending the holiday season behind bars, having been arrested hours ago on charges of beating up the father of her child.

The charges stem from three separate occasions over a period of a year, when Portwood attacked then-fiancé and father of her daughter Gary Shirley, in front of the child and the television camera.

TMZ reports that Portwood has been taken to police headquarters, was booked and had her mugshot taken, while bail was set at $50,000.

“Teen Mom Amber Portwood is currently behind bars in an Indiana jail stemming from allegations she beat up her baby daddy, TMZ has learned,” the e-zine writes.

“Amber allegedly attacked Gary Shirley three separate times between August 2009 and July 2010. Some of the violence was captured on video,” TMZ further says.

As we also reported at the time, after MTV aired footage of Amber physically and verbally abusing Shirley, an investigation was launched on suspicion of domestic violence and abusive behavior in front of a minor.

“Earlier today, the Madison County Prosecutor's Office had charged Portwood with two felony counts of domestic battery, one felony count of neglect of a dependent, and one misdemeanor count of domestic battery,” TMZ notes.

After MTV showed the footage of her abuse and the investigation was launched, Portwood spoke to the media, apologizing for her behavior and saying she was working on her violent tendencies, People magazine says.

According to the reality star, knowing that her daughter Leah may grow up one day to see those scenes on TV and then imagine that’s the “normal” way of conduct was what motivated her to change.

At the time, she even started wearing a commitment ring, saying she and Gary had promised to try and work out their differences without fighting – and, of course, without getting physical.

“It’s more of a promise ring that we’re trying not to fight anymore. We both just need to calm down in our personalities. We were clashing too much,” she said at the time.

So far, MTV has refused to comment on Portwood’s arrest. As for what will happen next to 2-year-old Leah, that is still to be determined.