The bitter court battle between Mama June Shannon and her former son-in-law Michael Cardwell for custody of Kaitlyn Shannon rages on.
The Ashley can reveal that the custody hearing to see if Kaitlyn— the daughter of the late Anna Cardwell— will live with her grandmother June or her former stepdad Michael began on Thursday and was continued and picked up (in another county) on Friday. It is unknown if the hearing requires additional time, or if the decision has been made as to who will get custody of Kaitlyn.
Days before the trial, though, June’s daughter Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson took to her personal Facebook page to express her devastation that Kaitlyn and Anna’s younger daughter, Kylee, have been split up. (Because Kylee is Michael’s biological daughter, she automatically went to live with him following Anna’s death in December. Kaitlyn– whose bio father is unknown— has been living with June since her mom’s death.)
Alana also called out Michael and his fiancé London Smith for allegedly keeping Kylee away from them in the months since she’s been living with them.
“I want to speak up about this situation involving my niece because I feel it’s important,” Alana wrote in a post, along with a Facebook post made by London featuring The Ashley’s story link. “I have no hard feelings towards Michael or London personally… However, let’s not pretend that people haven’t been texting Michael all the time, trying to see Kylee or take her out for lunch, only to receive no response or lame excuses.”
Alana went on to claim that she and her family have tried to get Kylee and Kaitlyn together.
“We’ve made multiple attempts for these girls to see each other because, for as long as I can remember, it’s always been Kaitlyn and Kylee. Michael knows this very well,” Alana wrote. “For him and London to keep Kylee from us because of their personal feelings is really unfair. As adults, everyone should be able to put their feelings aside and let Kaitlyn and Kylee see each other, no matter how much animosity or issues there are.”
As The Ashley previously reported, Michael filed for custody of Kaitlyn shortly after Anna’s death. While he is not the biological father of the 11-year-old, he has been in her life since she was eight months old. Following his divorce from Anna in 2017, Michael would still take both girls— not just Kylee– during his custodial visits.)
Michael stated in his custody lawsuit paperwork that he is against June getting custody of Kaitlyn, declaring that June has been “inconsistent” in Kaitlyn’s life, due to Anna’s long periods of estrangements from her mom.
“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 filed by Michael in December state.
In her Facebook post, Alana stated that she knows her sister Anna would hate that her girls weren’t seeing each other.
“Anyone who truly knew Anna would know that she loved her kids and always wanted Kaitlyn and Kylee to be together. Those girls have only ever known each other and separating them is not what Anna would have wanted,” Alana wrote. “Everyone involved should be mature enough to recognize that and do what’s best for Kaitlyn and Kylee.
“I just hope that in the near future, everyone can set their differences aside and do what’s best for these girls. The ones hurting the most are the ones without their mama,” she added, later telling someone in the comment section that the custody battle for Kaitlyn is taking a toll on both kids.
“It’s just causing more and more pain for the girls,” Alana wrote. “They’ve already been through so much with losing their mom, especially Kaitlyn, who is a preteen and just finished her first year of middle school. There are a lot of changes happening in her life, and this situation only adds to the stress she’s already dealing with.”
Alana then stated that Kaitlyn wants to live with June, whom Alana says has been a good parent to Kaitlyn over the past few months.
“As for right now, Kaitlyn has expressed where she wants to go, but I’ll leave it up to her to share that with you,” she wrote. “Yes, my mom has a bad past, but she has really stepped up for Kaitlyn. I can say 100% that she and Justin both make sure Kaitlyn is ready for her dances, gets to school on time, completes her schoolwork, and is doing well in her classes. They ensure she has an environment where she feels comfortable and safe to talk.
“I am very proud of how Justin and Mama have handled things with Kaitlyn so far.”
June eventually hopped into the post’s comment section as well, to accuse Michael of trying to get custody of Kaitlyn for financial reasons.
“[The kids] are not money symbols because, honestly the only reason that Michael is able to do what he’s doing is because he has equity in [Kaitlyn], which means he spent money on her schooling because he didn’t want to pay child support to their mother for his biological child,” June claimed.
She also stated that she has not kept Kaitlyn away from Kylee or Michael over the last few months.
“[I’ve] never denied them the right to see Kaitlyn,” June wrote. “They know that but them not contacting us for saying something and we can’t do s**t about it. I hope one day they will come to us and we can see Kylee and the girl[s can] see each other… I have not [kept] anyone from Kaitlyn. They have direct contact and always have. I have tried, Pumpkin has tried but we get told no and I got blocked.”
In an Instagram post made earlier this month, London stated that they haven’t seen Kaitlyn since December, and their attempts to reach out to Kaitlyn rarely get a response.
View this post on Instagram
“We text her tablet and we may or may not get a response,” London wrote. “I think they monitor her tablet with like parental control.”
The Ashley will continue to update this story. Stay tuned…
(Photos: WEtv; Instagram)
35 Responses
How can that trainwreck be what is best? I don’t know if Michael is best, it might be a third party. But the court should have no trouble seeing June is unfit by watching her show.
If everyone was so worried about it why weren’t the details hammered out by the parent while she was still here?…
If they are so concerned with the girls being together than they should either NOT be fighting for custody and hand her over or fight for BOTH girls. Clearly June is in it for the money and wants a do over baby. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kaitlyn only said she wants to stay with her because June is guilt tripping her into it and she’s afraid of more life changes. Hopefully June’s past will prevent her from getting custody, I’m sure it’s nothing to her to pretend to be a decent human being for a little while for a pay check.
Somebody answered this Anna also Sue Mama June and was on Dr Phil show talking about it so why would and Alana she sign papers giving you away so she don’t have to pay for you remember that
And physically she can’t see or walk and she have several just Justin or whatever husband name is doing all that I don’t .understand.
June is literally the one making money off Kaitlyn right now, the same way she did her own kids. Alana needs to stay in her own damn lane. She is old enough to realize, and acknowledge the shit her mom has done, including recently. She is STILL doing that shit, just now with a new kid and not her own. June is beyond possessive of Kaitlyn and it’s actually pretty scary, knowing how people like her can get at the drop of a hat. She’s not mentally stable enough to even take care of her own self, let alone a household, or a child. Kaitlyn very well may have said she wants to live with June, but we don’t know what lead up to her saying that, the influence June has put on her, the lies she has told her. We already know June is a habitual liar and she will lie about anything and everything to get her way. She’s a criminal, an addict, child abuser, someone who contributed to the sexual abuse of a minor..need I go on?
Of course no one wants to see them fighting like this and putting more stress on the children. But that’s the thing her, June was the first one to put that pressure and anxiety on those two little girls. Hell she was putting it on Anna while she sat there dying for months. Fuck June. Get poor Kaitlyn in to see a proper psychologist, into proper therapies, help her cope with her losses and get her the absolute fuck away from June before she’s harmed even more. FFS, this isn’t rocket surgery and YES June’s past (and present) absolutely should weigh heavily against her here! She’s contributed to pedophilia for crying out loud. Who in their right mind would let a CHILD stay in a home like that? You can’t rehab people who think sexual child abuse is okay, ever.
Two thumbs up I totally agree with you and Alana should stay in her lane because she’s suing her too for her money
June says Michael only want custody for financial reasons but who is the parent that was paying school tuition for a child that wasn’t biologically theirs…. And who is the parent that mismanaged their kids money so badly they don’t have enough to pay for more than one year of college?
June allowed a man to SA her daughter and took his side over hers and ever got back together with him after he got out of prison. She should NEVER be allowed custody of any child, ever. The fact that this is Annas daughter makes the whole thing even worse because she suffered so much at the hands of June.
I keep my kids away from toxic family too and I will never apologize for it.
Next season title
Mamaw June raising grand kids
She didnt raise her own kids, 1 lived with junes mother, and the other 3 were dragged up, while peado protecting june was drugged up.
If the judge had an ounce of brain cells and morals, that ( poor brainwashed, vulnerable child) would go to the only father she has known, and with the sister she grew up with.
I wouldn’t let my daughter go spend time with a crackhead that lets little girls be molested either…
Michael’s lawyer probably said no contact without lawyers present since June likes to twist things, play games, and outright lie. She also probably doesn’t want to see Kylee if Michael won’t let her be filmed, which I doubt he would since he was never keen on being on the show even back when everybody was on good terms and it wasn’t a “Family Crisis” show. We all know she only wants Kaitlyn for the storyline.
Alana is being ridiculous with this whole “she’s being a good mama now” crap. Seven months of doing okay-ish doesn’t negate nearly thirty years of shitty parenting to four other kids. Anybody can pretend for a little while to get what they want.
Louder for the ones in back! 👏
June is trying so hard here to spin the narrative that Michael is in this for money. He’s treated Kaitlyn like his own for years, paid for her schooling & even after divorce he still took Kaitlyn… in all sense of the word he is her dad and she should be with her sister.
The only reason I can imagine for no contact is the lawyers have advised Michael otherwise & I can just seen June blowing up this man’s phone the same way she does to her daughters when things aren’t going her way!
Good for him! I’m glad someone is protecting Kylee from this trash bag family. Hopefully Michael gets custody of Katelyn so she can have a life with her sister and the only dad she has ever known. Alana, June, Pumpkin and Justin can go back on tik tok selling their dollar tree temu knockoffs for ridiculous prices.
Their lawyer probably told them not to have any communication with them without their lawyers.
Why would Michael want Kaitlyn if it isn’t that he loves her as his own daughter? Hiring a lawyer to fight for custody is not cheap and I doubt he would get any sort of financial gain. On the other hand, we’ve seen June lying time and time again, stealing from her own daughters and selling every possession they had to buy crack.
Realistically we know there is more to this story than Alana’s accusations. I would not imagine that Michael, who isn’t even Kaitlyn’s dad, who pays for her school, took both kids during visits, and is literally going to court to get custody of her, is keeping Kylee away from Kaitlyn due to his own feelings. He CLEARLY is very invested in Kaitlyn’s life and wants the best for the 2 girls and honestly, June should allow it.
On the other side.. Anna should have absolutely figured this out beforehand. How wouldn’t that be the first thing she thinks of? Especially knowing that Kaitlyn doesn’t have a bio dad. Parents have to think of their kids futures.
Anna passed away before filing papers. On the show she said on camera that she wanted Eldridge to have custody of Kaitlyn with June as a backup. June ran to a lawyer before the ink was dry on the death certificate to file for emergency custody. The judge will listen to all sides but i hope they take June’s wanting to sign parental rights of Alana to Lauryn and realize that she should not be raising another child
If he really won’t let the girls see each other, he’s trash. They lost their mother. They need each other.
He had a visitation schedule prior to Anna’s death for both girls. Even if June had temporary custody there’s no reason she couldn’t allow visits. I place the blame squarely on her shoulders as we’ve all seen her controlling ways. Guarantee Boo boo is complaining because Michael won’t adhere to what they want.
Agreed! Also, those lame excuses are probably from Katelyn. Sometimes kids don’t want to go do things with her people especially if they spend the whole time trying to tell them what they should want. Additionally, she probably has a very typical nuclear family life with Michael and her sister that she doesn’t always want to be away from them. I know women like June and I am sure those talks to Katelyn hit on two things, you know you want to be with me AND ITS WHAT YOUR mom WOULD HAVE WANTED.
That could very well be true. I recognize the fact that June puts ideas in her head. I think both of them are being assholes. Like, I’m not going to let June see Kaylee. I’m not going to let Michael see Kaitlyn. That’s not mature behavior.
No child should EVER be forced to “see June”, and it’s not at all immature for Michael to keep Kylee away from her and the rest of that family. Unfortunately, because Kaitlyn is with them, and June is hell bent on ensuring she is never away from them, it also means Kylee doesn’t get to see her sister. That is 100% on June, Michael isn’t stopping visits, June is.
Given how June has always been, the crimes she’s committed, the things she’s done to, and allowed to be done to, her own children, NO CHILD is safe in her care, Kaitlyn is not safe in her care, Kylee wouldn’t be safe in her care even for a visitation, either. We know this, it is a fact that cannot be altered, it is what it is. Michael isn’t the one preventing the girls from seeing each other, June is. She doesn’t want Kaitlyn to go for visitation without her, and we can all guess exactly why that is. She’d likely tell them all the things June has been saying, maybe doing, and it would be over for June. There’s no way in hell June will compromise until someone forces her to. She wants to be there when the girls spend time with each other, no questions asked-and that’s sketchy af! If she actually loved her children, even a little, or her grandkids she’s stop this nonsense and do what’s right. But, we know she doesn’t, and the word right isn’t in her vocabulary.
It sounds like there were strings attached. And why didn’t June let Kaitlyn go visit Michael? It sounds like June wanted Michael to send Kylee to them, but not the other way around.
Also, how is it that Alanna has been trying to get the girls together but also hasn’t actually spoken to Michael since 2015? She should take several seats.
I understand that June is no good. My statement was more aimed to pumpkin and her kids. They should be able to see Kaitlin too. Of course June shouldn’t get custody. I just worry about the rest of the family and Kaylee. They just lost a very important person and they need each other.
If they can’t see each other, it’s on June. She did this and continues to be a road block to any kind of relationship. Of course, it sucks for the children, but once again, it all comes back to June who will do anything ANYTHING for money and control. June will never let the rest of them meet up without her. Michael is wise to keep his child away from the dysfunction.
Yes. You are right. June would have to butt in! a
Maybe he knows it’s not a safe place for his daughter? June has not ever shown herself to be a good parent, and is selfish.
I’m pretty sure they could meet in a public place. Thousands of parents do it. Maybe BOTH of them are playing games. I did notice that June acts insane about Kaitlyn. I just don’t think Micheal is innocent in all this.
We’ve seen June being a POS “mother” for years, even getting together with her own daughter’s abuser after he came out of jail and stealing her daughter’s money to buy crack. “Michael is not innocent” you say. Is he a criminal? A junkie? An abuser? We’ve never heard a word about any of that so compared to June he’s a damn angel
No. He definitely needs to let Kaylee see her aunt pumpkin and Jessica and all her other family members. I never said he was a druggie or sex offender. Would you like someone if your sibling died and now you can’t see their child? Probably not. I’m assuming you’re probably a normal person.
Can he trust that June won’t be there if he lets Kylee see the other family members? Unfortunately, I don’t think he can. And I doubt there was any offer to have visits without June being there. She is incredibly controlling. This family is toxic and I really can’t blame him for being cautious.
But Michael isn’t the one who is not allowing the girls to see each other, June is. Michael has never had an issue with allowing the girls to see each other, or even taking Kaitlyn for visitation. June is the one stopping the visitation, because she wants Kylee to come there and won’t let Kaitlyn visit them, even in a public place. June’s household is not a safe place, it has never been a safe place and will never be one. If June isn’t willing to let the girls spend time together, there is very little Michael can do. He’s not the one tearing the family, more importantly the girls, apart. The rest of the family could, if they chose, go see Kylee. Nothing is stopping them from doing so. The fact that they aren’t is just as sketchy as the fact that June won’t let Kaitlyn spend time away from her, other than school.
A normal person would be able to see what June is doing, it’s obvious.
He will, he just doesn’t want it filmed for a shitty tv show.