'Teen Mom' Amber's family blames hospitalization on ex

His sister is in the hospital, and Shawn Portwood thinks he knows why.

"Amber told us she had a panic attack last night after Gary began calling her names, telling her he was going to take Leah away from her," Shawn, brother of "Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood, exclusively told E! News Tuesday, referring to Amber's baby daddy, Gary Shirley.

"He's verbally abusive to her," Shawn said. "Our whole family thinks he's the reason behind all of Amber's problems. He's constantly threatening to take Leah away."

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Amber was taken to an Indiana hospital this morning after police responded to a caller who said the outspoken 21-year-old was "depressed and threatening to end her life."

Shawn said it was Gary's mother who called the cops and that no one alerted Amber's family when she was taken to the hospital.

And, her brother added, he thinks it was Gary who told Star magazine—which first broke the attempted-suicide report—that Amber had tried to slip a noose around her neck. The mag also reported that a source told it Amber had come to at the hospital and admitted to taking pills.

The Anderson Police Department said that Amber "did not appear to be injured" when officers arrived at the scene.

"Based on their actions, I really think Gary and his family are trying to keep Leah away from Amber," Shawn said.

But that might be for him to suspect and millions of people to wonder about. A clip from the upcoming premiere of "Teen Mom" shows Gary yelling at Amber, "Watch your mouth or I'm going to take Leah away from you!"

Shirley has not responded to E! News' request for comment.

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