The 'Mama June: From Not To Hot' star insists on keeping custody of Anna's 11-year-old daughter Kailtyn after being slapped with a lawsuit by the late star's ex-husband.
- Dec 19, 2023
AceShowbiz - Mama June a.k.a. June Shannon has vowed to fight for custody of Anna Cardwell's first child. The "Mama June: From Not To Hot" star shared her intention to keep custody of Anna's eldest daughter, 11-year-old Kaitlyn, after being sued by her late daughter's ex-husband.
The reality TV star broke her silence after Anna's former husband Michael Cardwell, who is the biological father of Anna's youngest daughter Kylee, filed a lawsuit against her. Speaking to TMZ on Monday, December 18, she revealed that "she hasn't been served with any legal papers yet." Though so, she told the outlet that she "can see him in court."
According to Mama June, Kaitlyn "wants to stay with her and her husband" Justin. She went on to insist that a change in custody "would be going against [Kaitlyn's] wishes." She also claimed that Anna "wanted Kaitlyn to live with" her prior to Anna's death. She further alleged that Michael knew about Anna's wish regarding Kaitlyn's caregiver.
Noting that Kaitlyn's biological father "has never been involved in her life," Mama June believed that it is best for Kaitlyn if she "be the one to step into the parent role." She additionally told the outlet, "At the end of the day, the girls have lost their mother so why put them through this."
Mama June's statement came after Michael sued her for custody of Kaitlyn. Michael, who took full custody of Kylee since Anna's passing, insisted in legal documents that he has "fully and completely undertaken a permanent, unequivocal, committed, and responsible parental role" of Kaitlyn. In the court papers, he also claimed that he has been paying for Kaitlyn's education.
Michael further argued that he has "engaged in consistent caretaking of the child and established a bonded and dependent relationship with the child." He continued, "Both petitioner and parent understood, acknowledged, accepted and behaved as though the petitioner is a parent of the child and accepted full and permanent responsibilities as a parent of the child without expectation of financial compensation."
Elsewhere in the papers, Michael alleged that "Anna has been raised by her maternal grandmother in Griffin, Georgia since she was approximately eight years old and only returned to the home of June Shannon when she was 17. Anna has had a very sordid relationship with her mother throughout her life and went various periods of time without speaking to her." He added, "Likewise, June's presence in the minor child's life has been inconsistent."
Prior to the lawsuit, it was reported that Mama June is "currently in custody" of Kaitlyn and is planning to "become Kaitlyn's legal guardian" following Anna's passing on December 9. Mama June reportedly has "a very close bond" with Kaitlyn, who is her first grandchild.
