As Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell's family mourns her death, it sounds like they may also be gearing up to fight a legal battle. Just days after Anna died following a short battle with stage 4 adrenal cancer, Anna's ex-husband+ is suing Mama June for custody of her oldest daughter, Kaitlyn, who fans likely remember from Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Although he already has custody of their younger daughter, Kaitlyn isn't his biological daughter, and now, he wants her to be under his care instead of June's.
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Michael filed the suit against June in Georgia.
According to legal documents obtained by The Sun, Michael wants custody of Anna's oldest daughter, Kaitlyn, though he isn't her biological father. While he acknowledged that title belongs to a man named Caleb Clark, Michael noted that Caleb has no legal rights to Kaitlyn. Instead, Michael has filled in as a father figure, even after his romantic relationship with Anna came to an end.
Michael says Anna encouraged the relationship between him and Kaitlyn.
Michael claims that he has "engaged in consistent caretaking of the child and established a bonded and dependent relationship with the child" which was "fostered and supported by a parent of the child," meaning Anna. Because he has custody of Kaitlyn's little sister, Kylee, it sounds like he's hoping they can be together as they mourn the loss of their mom.
He also pointed out that June may not be the best guardian for Kaitlyn.
In recent years, Mama June's relationship with Anna (and her other daughters) has been tenuous at best while she's battled addiction. It was only earlier this year that June and Anna reunited following her diagnosis.
"Anna has been raised by her maternal grandmother in Griffin, Georgia since she was approximately 8 years old and only returned to the home of June Shannon when she was 17," the court documents stated. "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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Michael has full custody of the daughter he shared with Anna, Kylee.
And now, he claims that it would be in Kaitlyn's "best interest" to legally become part of their family.
"Petitioner is the only living person that has shown a constant and continuous interest in the child's minor child's well-being, and being in the custody of the petitioner will be in the child's best interest," read the documents.
Anna died on December 9.
June shared the heartbreaking update in an Instagram post, which came less than a year after her daughter's diagnosis.
"She gave one h— of a fight for 10 months she passed away with her family around her like she won’t and we will will be updating y’all with more information as we get it today," June wrote. "We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family doing this difficult time."
