The drama between Mama June Shannon and her former son-in-law Michael Cardwell is far from over. The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star has just won the custody battle for Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell’s daughter Kaitlyn. However, she is now calling Michael Cardwell out for taking Kaitlyn’s half-sister Kylee Cardwell away from everyone and moving to Alabama.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Shannon expressed how tough things have been after her daughter Chickadee passed away in December 2023. According to Shannon, Cardwell moved in November as soon as the court case was over. She claimed that she warned her late daughter’s ex-husband against the relocation, but he was in too much of a rush to get remarried and settle down in Alabama.
That’s not where Shannon’s accusations stop, though. She claimed that Cardwell was actually trying to replicate his life with Chickadee with his new wife, London Cardwell. She added that Cardwell was with Chickadee for two years and, after getting married, they also moved to Sylacauga, Alabama. Cardwell was then going to open up a mechanic's shop and build a house on the land. The reality star confessed that he’s doing the exact same thing with his new wife. In Shannon’s exact words: “You could have changed the story up just a little bit.”
Michael Cardwell Got Remarried Just Nine Months After Anna Cardwell’s Passing Away
Mama June Shannon was awarded full custody of her granddaughter Kaitlyn on September 20, 2024. The reality TV star did not file for Kylee Cardwell’s custody since Michael Cardwell is her biological father and legal guardian. Amidst the custody loss, though, Cardwell tied the knot with London, who took to Facebook to share a glimpse of the ceremony on September 23, 2024, which featured Kylee Cardwell as the flower girl.
However, according to Shannon, everything happened so fast that she wasn’t able to say goodbye and spend time with her granddaughter. The reality TV star shared that Kaitlyn had actually been able to spend time with Cardwell and his mother before the move. But Shannon shared that while Cardwell’s family has access to Kaitlyn, Cardwell explicitly told her that her second granddaughter would not go out of his sight.
According to Shannon, Cardwell claimed that he was willing to pay any price for his decision not to let Kylee Cardwell meet her mother’s side of the family. Shannon added that her family and even Chickadee’s second husband, Toney Eldridge, had not been allowed to bring Kylee Cardwell with them or spend any time with her before she left. Shannon confessed that she knew something like this would happen once her daughter wasn’t here to fight for her girls. And that’s exactly why she decided to “go to war” for Kaitlyn’s custody.
All episodes of Mama June: From Hot to Not are available to stream on Hulu.
The series returns to explore the intense personal and legal challenges facing Mama June and her family. Amidst the chaos, her daughters confront their own dilemmas about loyalty, forgiveness, and self-preservation. The family's bonds are tested as they navigate the complex landscape of public scrutiny and private pain, highlighting the harsh realities of celebrity and adversity.
Release Date February 24, 2017
Seasons 2
English (US) ·