After vowing to fight for custody of her 11-year-old grandchild Kaitlyn, the 'Mama June: From Not To Hot' star is awarded temporary sole custody of her late daughter's first child.
- Jan 3, 2024
AceShowbiz - Mama June a.k.a. June Shannon won her custody battle against her late daughter Anna Cardwell's former husband. The "Mama June: From Not To Hot" star granted custody of her granddaughter, who is the late star's first child.
It was reported by Page Six on Tuesday, January 2 that a judge granted the 44-year-old reality TV star's emergency petition. The judge reportedly awarded her temporary sole custody of her 11-year-old granddaughter named Kaitlyn "until a future hearing."
In court documents, which were obtained by the outlet, June filed a petition for "change of child custody and for emergency ex parte relief." She submitted the legal papers to a court in Georgia a few days after Anna's ex-husband, Michael Cardwell, did the same thing for custody of Kaitlyn, who is not Michael's biological daughter since Anna had the young girl from a previous relationship. However, Michael and Anna shared 8-year-old daughter Kylee together.
In the legal papers, June claimed that Kaitlyn "does not have a legal father." She explained that the identity of her granddaughter's biological father is "unknown." In addition, she noted that Kaitlyn has lived with her for more than one month. It led the TV personality to file the emergency petition as she suggested that it would be in the best interest of the child to continue living with her.
In December, it was revealed that Mama June was "currently in custody" of Kaitlyn and was planning to "become Kaitlyn's legal guardian" following Anna's passing on December 9. However, Michael later sued her for custody of Kaitlyn, insisting that he has "fully and completely undertaken a permanent, unequivocal, committed, and responsible parental role" of Kaitlyn. He also claimed that he has been paying for Kaitlyn's education.
In response, Mama June vowed to fight for custody of Kaitlyn during an interview with TMZ on December 18. She told the outlet that "she hasn't been served with any legal papers yet." Though so, she told the outlet that she "can see him in court."
Anna herself never shared with the public the identity of Kaitlyn's biological father. Prior to her death, she and Michael raised both Kaitlyn and Kylee. However, she and Michael then called it quits. She later tied the knot with Eldridge Toney in March 2023 at a private wedding ceremony in Georgia.
