Overview

• Mama June Shannon was awarded full custody of her 12-year-old granddaughter Kaitlyn by a Georgia judge on September 20, 2024.
• The custody battle followed the death of Shannon's daughter, Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell, in December 2023 due to stage IV adrenal carcinoma.
• Michael Cardwell, Anna's ex-husband who is not Kaitlyn's biological father, had filed for custody and visitation rights but was denied by the court.
• Kaitlyn expressed her desire to stay with her grandmother and fears of being taken away, which were supported by a family therapist's testimony.
• The judge noted that Michael had not provided significant financial support for Kaitlyn and ruled that he would not have visitation rights unless agreed upon by both Shannon and Kaitlyn.