Mama June Shannon Wins Custody Battle Over Late Daughter Anna’s Child
Mama June Shannon has gained custody of her granddaughter Kaitlyn after a lengthy court battle with her late daughter Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell‘s ex-husband, Michael Cardwell.
According to InTouchWeekly, court documents show Shannon was awarded custody of her 12-year-old granddaughter by a Georgia judge on Friday, September 20.
The order states, “legal and physical custody of the minor child is to remain with [Shannon], and [Michael] will have no right to visitation as such, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and the minor child.”
Michael — who is not the child’s father but had been dating Anna since 2013 when Kaitlyn was eight months old — had filed the case in December 2023 in hopes of regaining custody and visitation of his stepdaughter. June then filed her own petition seeking custody, stating it would be in Kaitlyn’s best interest to continue living with her.
Anna and Michael got married on May 25, 2014, and welcomed a second daughter, Kylee (8), on December 9, 2015. On December 9, 2023, Anna died after being diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma.
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In his filing, Michael claimed Kaitlyn and Kylee should not be separated. He also claimed to have raised Kaitlyn as his own when he was married to Anna.
Shannon’s petition noted that Kaitlyn testified at a July hearing, where she expressed her desire to continue living with her grandmother. The filing also stated that a child therapist said Kaitlyn feared being taken away from Shannon.
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The counter-petition also alleged that Michael “frequently physically abused Anna and the child” over the course of the marriage and “it would not be in the child’s best interests to be in [Michael’s] care and control.”
“Michael denies these allegations. This is the first time that any of these allegations have been made against him. He and Anna had a great relationship when they were married and simply separated due to differences in opinions and personalities,” Michael’s lawyer, Donald Lewis Roberts, said, per InTouch.
Roberts added, “They managed to get along throughout the divorce as well and had maintained a good relationship with his family and him. They’ve always stuck together for their children, and we will see what proof Ms. Shannon has for these types of claims, these very serious claims, to make on somebody — if she has any proof at all.”
In the latest ruling, the judge acknowledged that Michael did take care of Kaitlyn at times but “never provided any significant financial support for this child.” The judge thereby determined Shannon — who was given temporary custody earlier this year — was best fit to care for Kaitlyn.
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