"Portwood is indeed on parole for an unspecified period of time," Douglas S. Garrison, chief communications officer of the Indiana Department of Correction tells Us Weekly. "She will be subject to random drug screening."
Garrison notes that although Portwood did not serve five years behind bars, the Indiana Department of Correction does "not consider this an 'early release'" from prison.
"She earned a combination of earned credit time for good behavior and completion of programming, which resulted in her period of incarceration being reduced," he explains to Us. "The vast majority of offenders in our system earn credit time which reduces their period of incarceration. The courts envision offenders earning this type of credit time, and thus the release is really when it was expected, as opposed to being 'early.'"
The former MTV reality star (mom to daughter Leah, 4, with ex-boyfriend Gary Shirley) was photographed leaving Rockville Correctional Facility in Rockville, Ind., in gray sweatpants, a gray sweatshirt, and white sneakers. She also had on a white T-shirt printed with the words "Breaking Free From Addiction," which she flashed as she hugged and greeted loved ones outside the prison, where she had been locked up for a year and four months.
Portwood's release comes just a little over a month after her brother Shawn Portwood announced on Twitter that his sister was getting out sooner rather than later. "Congratulations sis. I am so happy that you are finally being released," he wrote on Sept. 24. "You did everything you needed to do to get out long before 5 years."
The troubled star, now 23, began what was originally said to be a five-year prison sentence at Indiana's Rockville Correctional Facility in June 2012, after she was arrested in December 2011 on drug-related charges. Prior to that incident, she had had multiple other run-ins with officials.
In November 2010, while still appearing on Teen Mom, Portwood was charged with domestic violence toward on-again, off-again boyfriend Shirley. Seven months later, after a June 2011 suicide attempt, she completed a rehab stint at Seasons Recovery Center in Malibu, Calif.
Time will tell whether Portwood has really learned from her past mistakes, but her brother, at least, believes she's taken a turn for the better. "Will be heading up to Indiana in a few days to see my sister," Shawn tweeted on Oct. 30. "Can't wait until she gets out and proves she is a changed woman."
