The custody battle over the late Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell’s oldest daughter Kaitlyn after her death is heating up. Mama June Shannon and Michael Cardwell, Anna’s ex-husband and father of her second daughter, Kylee, have been battling each other in court over who should have custody of 11-year-old Kaitlyn.
Michael believes that he should have custody, but now Mama June is making allegations of abuse that could prevent that from ever happening.
More from CafeMom: Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell's Final Days Were Reportedly Filmed for Family's Reality Show
Mama June was granted custody of Kaitlyn shortly after Anna's death.
Since Anna Cardwell’s death in December, Michael and Mama June have been battling in court over who would have custody of Kaitlyn. Mama June was awarded temporary custody of the tween in a Georgia court “for emergency ex parte relief,” which means under emergency circumstances. Prior to Anna’s death, Kaitlyn had been living with her grandmother.
Michael also wasted no time petitioning for custody of Kaitlyn.
Michael filed a petition for custody of Kaitlyn shortly after his ex-wife’s death. He is not Kaitlyn’s father but raised her with her mother until they divorced in 2017.
He is father to Kylee and has had custody of the 8-year-old since Anna’s death. In his petition, he argued that the girls shouldn’t be separated and that he pays for Kaitlyn’s schooling.
Mama June responded to Michael's petition with a very serious allegation.
Mama June responded to Michael’s petition with allegations that he is abusive, evidently as a way to keep him from gaining custody of Kaitlyn.
“During his marriage to Anna, plaintiff frequently physically abused Anna and the child and it would not be in the child's best interest to be in the plaintiff's care and control,” the petition reads, per The Sun.
Michael has denied any allegations of abuse.
“Michael flatly denies any type of abuse of his children or his ex-wife or any other past girlfriend,” his attorney said in a statement to The Sun. “We will see how June plans to prove this or any other of her supposed truths or allegations.”
More from CafeMom: Fans Want Mama June's 'Trash' Reality Show Canceled After Daughter Anna Cardwell's Death
Michael tried to use Anna and Mama June's complicated relationship to get custody.
In his initial petition, Michael tried to use Anna’s difficult relationship with her mother as a reason he should have custody of Kaitlyn. Mama June had a response to that allegation.
“Outside of one short period of disagreement, the defendant and Anna had a stable parent-child relationship,” she claimed. “Kaitlyn has spent her childhood regularly seeing and spending time with the defendant.”
