Mama June Shannon has spouted some very bold claims this week regarding her late daughter Anna Cardwell’s “dying wish.”
As The Ashley previously told you, Anna passed away in December from cancer, leaving behind two young daughters– 11-year-old Kaitlyn and eight-year-old Kylee. After Anna’s death, Kylee went to live with her father, Michael Cardwell, while June was preparing to take custody of Kaitlyn. However, Michael–- who has been Kaitlyn’s consistent father figure since she was an infant but is not biologically related–- is fighting June for custody of Kaitlyn as well.
June told The Sun this week that Anna’s dying wish was for Kaitlyn to live with her instead of Michael. In fact, June even claims that Anna informed Michael’s mom of her custody decision the day before she died. June also insists that Michael only wants custody of Kaitlyn because he’s interested in “money.”
“The Michael thing is about money, and Kaitlyn ain’t a money symbol,” June said, adding, “Kaitlyn wants to be raised by her biological family.”
As The Ashley previously told you, Michael stated in his custody lawsuit paperwork that he is against June taking custody of Kaitlyn, stating that she has been “inconsistent” in Kaitlyn’s life, due to Anna’s long periods of estrangements from her mom.
He also claims that he has been Kaitlyn’s consistent father figure since she was an infant. (As The Ashley previously reported, Anna and Michael split in 2017, but Michael would take both girls— not just Kylee– during his custodial visits.)
Michael stated that Anna encouraged his continued relationship and visitation with Kaitlyn, and that he has continued to pay for Kaitlyn’s schooling, despite his and Anna’s divorce years ago.
“Both [Michael and Anna] understood, acknowledged, accepted and behaved as though [Michael] is a parent of the child and accepted full and permanent responsibilities as a parent of the child without expectation of financial compensation,” the documents state.
“..[Michael] has been a stable and consistent part of the minor child’s life since she was eight months old and has continued to do so even after years from his divorce from Anna,” he wrote. “[Michael] is the only living person that has shown a constant and continuous interest in the child’s minor child’s well-being…”
In her new interview with The Sun, June said she is doing what Anna wanted by getting custody of Kaitlyn.
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“We are following her wishes,” June said. “At the end of the day, I wish [Anna] would have [decided who got custody of Kaitlyn] when she was alive but she didn’t. It was a hard thing for her.”
(Anna never revealed who Kaitlyn’s biological father is and there is no father listed on Kaitlyn’s birth certificate.)
June said Anna didn’t make her wishes regarding custody legal while she was alive because it was too hard for her.
“She couldn’t face that she was going to pass away so early, because she was so young,” June said of her daughter, who was only 29 at the time of her death. “…She struggled, but she let everybody know how she felt, especially at the end.”
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In response to June’s claims, Michael’s attorney told The Sun he was not made aware of any such statements made by Anna regarding her “dying wish.”
“I have not heard anything to that effect,” he said. “I have seen no documentation as far as any final wishes for Ms. Cardwell.”
One day after Michael filed his lawsuit, June filed for permanent custody of Kaitlyn. Interestingly, she claimed in her court paperwork that she was “not aware of any interested parties other than herself that would have standing to seek custody of the child.”
However, The Sun reported that June was actually served with Michael’s legal papers one day earlier, so she was absolutely aware that Michael was seeking custody.
While Anna’s cancer battle will be featured on the upcoming season of ‘Mama June: Family Crisis,’ it is unknown if June’s battle for custody against Michael will also be shown.
RELATED STORY: Preview For Upcoming Season of ‘Mama June: Family Crisis’ Shows Family Facing “Toughest Battle Yet” Amid Anna Cardwell’s Cancer Battle
(Photos: WEtv; Instagram)
June is going to lose this. She had a recent history of drug abuse, being in romantic relationships with convicted s*x offenders and lost custody of her youngest child just a couple of years ago. Micheal has no criminal or substance abuse history, has been in this child’s life since she was an infant, continued to support and care for her post divorce. He’s got everything in his corner I just hope he keeps fighting cause he’s sure to win and that’s what is best for this little girl.
I hope he goes for his legal fees too.
What money is Michael gonna get for Katelyn? Cause I can’t think of any.
But with June she’ll be doing pageants and hoping Katelyn is the next honey boo boo.
Imo the only one that see’s $$$$$$$ is the poop child’s grandma.
Reasons Michael should have katelyn …..
In no particular order
1) Michael has been a constant in her life
2) Katelyn will be with her sister
3) June is a stranger to Katelyn
4) June gave custody of Alana to pumpkin
5) June said she gave Alana to pumpkin so she wasn’t financially obligated to pay for Alana
6) June always puts men before her family
7) Katelyn has already had her mum taken away from her, she shouldn’t have her father and sister taken away too.
8) Michael knows the routine when it comes to Katelyn s life
9) Katelyn will most likely want to live with Michael
10) June is fame hungry and will use this poor child and rob her blind
Meant poor child
In one breath she says Anna made these proclamations (to June only apparently) a day or two before she died & VERY sick, prob not in the best mental state. The next sentence is I wish Anna would have made her custody wishes known. Like which is it June 🙄 I understand Anna didn’t want to make those arrangements but as a mother I can’t imagine knowing I’m dying & having no set plan for my babies 🙁
Wow, it sure didn’t take long for it to get ugly!!!
I’m surprised that Pumpkin didn’t put that in writing where her daughter should go best case would be working out something that is best for child snd coparent. She has lost her mother and Michael. Think of the child.
Pumpkin isn’t deceased.
Guaranteed Michael has spent more money raising Kaitlyn than he will ever get in SSI. He, unlike June, has never monetized his kids. The utter audacity of this woman. I hope it’s as obvious to the judge as it is to all of us.
Poor kids. It seems unreal that she has actually passed away. I stopped watching way long ago and haven’t followed up on any of this really, but it is so sad that this happens and then suddenly everyones life changes. Pray that these kids find stability again and that june doesn’t get custody of them. She has shown she is not as good of a mother as she says. But she is delusional so she can’t possibly understand why she shouldn’t recieve them.
June wants that child so she can try to weasel another show series to buy more crack and pink extensions. Michael wants her bc she’s his daughter
What money does MIchael want her for? Social Security?? The cost of raising a child is way more than he would get from Anna’s social security benefits. However, June is alreay making money off of Kaitlyn. Shes ( and her husband) posting her all over tik tok and of course people are tuning in to check on her. Then they are asking people for money for her. If anyone wants custody for ‘the money’, its June and her husband.
I think she is talking about herself regarding the money.
I pray that the sweet girl go to her daddy.
“At the end of the day, I wish [Anna] would have [decided who got custody of Kaitlyn] when she was alive but she didn’t. It was a hard thing for her.”
So she didn’t decide while she was alive but it was also her dying wish? That literally doesn’t make sense. If anyone is in it for the money it’s June. I’m sure Anna knew there isn’t a snowballs chance in hell that June could be awarded custody over Michael and I doubt she wants her daughters separated.
I don’t like the fact that June said “I’m Anna’s next of kin!” Actually no she wasn’t, Anna was married and therefore he was her next of Kin. When Anna got married that power was taken away from June and I hope that this could possibly help Michael win custody of Kaitlyn. Now I’m not crazy I do know Michael was the ex husband not the current hundband.
If anyone is doing it for $$$$ it’s you June.
Michael works and pays for the girls school, unlike you who is in SM begging for money and gifts so you can bribe poor Caitlyn, who should be with her sister and step father, you are a vicious evil p0s..
I pray that she’s removed from your home.
Yeah, I’m sure Anna’s dying wish was for her daughter to be raised apart from her only sister and by a woman that took the side of her abuser, and is a drug addicted, legal blind person, instead of by the man that treats her like his own and loves her. Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.
Anna should have left everything in writing knowing her family.
This bitch.
She is so fucking out of touch with reality.
Just because she was one of the few who managed to turn her talentless child into the family cash cow doesn’t mean that’s how it usually works: children COST money–a lot of it if you actually care for them–and it sounds like Michael has willingly *spent* much of his own money on raising this child, despite no legal or even ethical obligation to do so, but because he cared.
For people who keep their cameras on themselves 19 hours a day, it sure is convenient how many major life-altering decisions Anna allegedly made in her final hours, with no video record to preserve them and show she was mentally competent and cognizant at the time.
Somehow, I don’t think it’s simply because June recognized her daughter deserved the dignity to die privately.
It was very irresponsible of Anna to not have all the legalities of where her children were to go before passing away. But there’s no way in hell her dying wish would be to have her daughter be with June. Anna didn’t even have a relationship with June except on tv and when she was dying. She didn’t live with June until honey boo boo started. And had only recently started talking to her. She knows June isn’t a fit parent and she wouldn’t want her children with her. She could have avoided all this by putting papers in place.
So which is it June? First you said it was her dying wish. Then you said Anna didn’t make her wishes regarding custody legal while she was alive because it was too hard for her. It can’t be both.
June is out for money. Not Michael. Michael has been spending money on a daughter that he is Daddy to that isn’t biologically his child.
June on the other hand didn’t raise Anna who is her biological child. She also abandoned Alana so biological or not really doesn’t mean shit.
I can’t stand them. Selfish assholes. They treat Katelyn horribly on tik tok lives. Every single one of them.
I couldn’t agree more, Gemma.
I really wish Michael would set up a gofundme for his legal battle..this is one I would support..June is a selfish piece of shit ..not even considering the little sister in anything..how funny she claims Michael just wants her for the money..yet never seen these girls all over social media until recently and that has been done via the pos, only think of herself, not worthy of even raising a cockroach..June
Umm, is this the same woman who sold off her children’s possessions for drug money?
Look, I’ve never watched the show so I admittedly know little about the family but the stuff I’ve read over the years leads me to believe that this poor child should be with her dad and sister.
It’s not like Mama June has shown great judgment and responsible parenting over the years. She’s a (recovering) drug addict who willingly gave up custody of her own children, moved her child’s molester into her home following his prison sentence, and seemingly alienated her daughters against their father/father who raised them. Now, maybe that man is largely to blame for the state of those relationships but it just doesn’t seem reasonable, responsible or moral to send this dear child to live with Mama June.
Lying on court papers is a big no-no, June. Also, how is your younger granddaughter going to feel about you? You are trying to separate her from her big sister, and aren’t fighting to keep her around. (Yes, I understand that she has her parent alive and that’s to whom her custody obviously goes—I’m saying in the mind of a child her grandma doesn’t want her.) I get that you are grieving but this isn’t the way to deal with your grief. Go to therapy. It will help.
Why is there nothing in writing from Anna? I don’t understand that. This whole thing could have been prevented and of course like usual, it’s the kids that suffer. June doesn’t give AF about those kids. She didn’t even care about her own kids (dating Anna’s r*pist, for example). She is a vile, disgusting waste of space. I hope Michael gets both of those kids. They should not be separated, period.
I don’t get the down vote, you’re absolutely correct in your comment.
I don’t get it either. Anna’s death was tragic but not unexpected so why was nothing officially decided beforehand, all they have is June’s word which I trust as about as far as I could have thrown her in the “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” days. Of course, I also wouldn’t put it past June to have destroyed any documentation that didn’t go her way.