Mama June Shannon was preparing for the worst as her daughter Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell battled cancer.
In a preview ahead of Friday’s episode of “Mama June: Family Crisis,” the Shannon family matriarch is seen discussing the potential of caring for Anna’s oldest child, Kaitlyn Elizabeth, if she passes away from her stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
Mama June Shannon Expected Kaitlyn In Her Care If Anna Died
In the episode, which was filmed before Anna died from cancer last December, Mama June disclosed her and her husband Justin Stroud’s plans to move to Georgia to be near Anna and her children during breakfast with her mother-in-law Roxanna.
While admitting that it was a difficult topic to discuss, Mama June claimed that “when that time does come, like whenever Anna was to pass away, Eldridge [Toney] has told all of us that he’s not going to be able to handle [raising her kids]. So, like, I want to be able to have that place to be like, ‘Okay, you can come here.’”
She then shared that Anna was yet to “have her f——g affairs in order” before revealing that custody of Anna’s youngest daughter, Kylee, would automatically go to her father. Meanwhile, the situation with Kaitlyn remained uncertain as Eldridge has expressed reluctance to take on that responsibility.
Despite Eldridge’s reluctance, Anna hoped he would “adopt Kaitlyn.” However, as Mama June declared, “When it comes about to go do that… There’s always like — kind of like it’s brushed off.” The reality star’s husband backed her up, saying, “It’s going to be a mess when it comes to that child.”
The idea of that messiness most likely prompted Stroud to express doubts about adequately caring for the 12-year-old when his mother asked if he and Mama June were ready for it.
The couple discussed it further in a joint confessional when Mama June tells her man that, given Anna’s situation, they might end up raising Kaitlyn. Stroud responded, “You know I’m going to be here and do what I need to do to raise that little girl, but she has to get paperwork and make it legal.”
To that, Mama June explained that giving up parental rights to a child is not an easy thing to do. In the next scene, she informs her husband and his mother that figuring out custody is likely difficult for Anna to accept. In her words:
“At that point, it’s going to become real to her. She’s not going to be able to see her graduate; she’s not this. She’s not going to see her turn 18 like that’s her realizing, ‘F—, this is true. This is my destination.’”
Mama June Asked The Court To Dismiss Her Ex-Son-In-Law’s Custody Request
Aside from stressing over assuming custody of her granddaughter, Mama June has also been in court asking that the custody case brought by her late daughter’s ex, Michael Cardwell, be thrown out.
As reported by The Blast, the former “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” star claimed that Michael was abusive to Anna when they were together. She asserted that Michael often physically hurt Anna “and the child, and it would not be in the child’s best interests to be in [Michael’s] care and control.”
She also argued that Kylee often only visited Michael if Kaitlyn accompanied her. Michael’s lawyer, Donald Lewis Roberts, promptly rejected the accusations, declaring:
“Michael denies these allegations. This is the first time that any of these allegations have been made against him. He and Anna had a great relationship when they were married and simply separated due to differences in opinions and personalities.”
Additionally, Roberts elaborated that Michael and Anna were able to get along during the divorce and maintained a good relationship with her ex’s family. After noting that the former lovebirds always prioritized their children, the lawyer expressed:
“We will see what proof Ms. Shannon has for these types of claims, these very serious claims, to make on somebody — if she has any proof at all.”
