The oldest daughter of 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo' family says she desperately wants to believe her mother but she's not sure if her mom is telling the truth.
- Oct 27, 2014
AceShowbiz - Anna Cardwell opened up about the molestation she suffered at the hands of Mark McDaniel, Mama June Shannon's ex, years ago. The oldest daughter of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" family also responded to the reports that her mother was back on with the man, which the matriarch vehemently denied. Speaking to PEOPLE, Anna said she didn't know what to believe.
"I'm just confused," Anna admitted. "I'm hearing one story from Mama and another one from someone else." She continued, "Mama said the story isn't true and she said she hasn't seen Mark since he's been out of jail. My whole body believes that she is telling the truth, but my mind is going back and forth from - you know, hey, she's telling the truth or she's not telling the truth, but most of me believes her."
Anna, who is now married and has her own child, was reportedly molested by Mark multiple times between October 2002 and March 2003 when she was only 8 years old while he was dating June. Anna said Mark "would try and touch me and all that stuff," and her mother refused to believe her when she tried to tell her what happened.
"A week or so after it happened, I talked to Mama and she was upset, crying and saying, 'I don't believe you, I don't believe you, why would you do this to me?' " she recalled one conversation with June. "And I was like, 'Mama, he did that to me and I can't do anything about it. You were never there to see it, you were always at work.' "
Anna then moved out and lived with her grandmother. The now 20-year-old only returned home in 2012 shortly before "Honey Boo Boo" began. "Me and Mama realized we needed to put this behind us and get our relationship back on track and that's what we did and that's what we have been doing," she said of her reconciliation with her mother.
Mark was eventually sentenced to 10 years in jail, but he has been released this March. He is rumored rekindling romance with June after they were pictured in bed and house hunting together. The first photo was allegedly taken around the same time her relationship with Mike "Sugar Bear" Thompson went kaput. She also reportedly bought him a car.
Although Anna didn't feel it like a betrayal, she said she would be devastated if the romance rumor was true since she already forgave her mother for not believing her years ago and wanted to bury the dark past. "I would feel hurt," she said. "I would not feel betrayed, but I would feel hurt. You know the past should be in the past and it should stay in the past and not come back out."
Anna makes it clear that 34-year-old June is not allowed to see her grandchild if Mark is still around. "I would not let her see Kaitlyn unless Mark is out of the picture or away because I don't want him nowhere near my child," Anna says. "Nowhere close to her."
TLC has canceled "Honey Boo Boo" show because they thought June was putting her children at risk for dating the convicted child molester. The network is standing by the show's young stars and reportedly offers Anna counseling. "Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority," they said. "TLC is faithfully committed to the children's ongoing comfort and well being."
