June “Mama June” Shannon has been granted temporary custody of her 11-year-old granddaughter, Kaitlyn, over the ex-husband of her late daughter, Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell.
According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Shannon, 44, filed a “petition for change of child custody and for emergency ex parte relief” in a Georgia court.
The reality TV matriarch did so just days after Anna’s former spouse, Michael Cardwell, filed a petition for custody.
He is not the biological father of Kaitlyn, Anna’s daughter from a previous relationship. However, he shared 8-year-old daughter Kylee with her.
In her filing, Shannon stated that Kaitlyn “does not have a legal father,” further claiming that the identity of the pre-teen’s dad is “unknown.”
The “Mama June: Family Crisis” star explained that Kaitlyn has been living with her for more than a month, arguing that it would be in the best interest of the child to continue residing with her.
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“More recently, approximately one month before her passing the mother and child began residing with [Shannon],” the filing, which was first reported by Radar Online, read.
Shannon — who is married to Justin Stroud, her husband of nearly two years — added that she is not “aware of any interested parties other than herself that would have standing to seek custody of the child.”
A judge granted the “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” alum’s emergency motion and awarded her sole custody until a future hearing.
A rep for Shannon didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
As previously reported, Anna died from cancer at the age of 29 in November. In the wake of her passing, Michael sued Shannon for custody of Kaitlyn, according to documents obtained by The Sun.
He contended in the filing that he has “fully and completely undertaken a permanent, unequivocal, committed, and responsible parental role” of Kaitlyn.
Michael said that he formed an “independent relationship” with Kaitlyn during his visitations with Kylee following his and Anna’s 2017 separation. He emphasized that Anna had “fostered and supported” his bond with Kaitlyn.
Meanwhile, Michael discredited Shannon’s relationship with Kaitlyn, citing periods of estrangement between the WeTV personality and Anna.
“Anna has been raised by her maternal grandmother in Griffin, Georgia since she was approximately eight years old and only returned to the home of June Shannon when she was 17,” he argued.
“Anna has had a very sordid relationship with her mother throughout her life and went various periods of time without speaking to her. Likewise, June’s presence in the minor child’s life has been inconsistent.”
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