June “Mama June” Shannon shares a rare update about her granddaughters Kaitlyn and Kylee following their mother Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell’s death during an exclusive video interview with In Touch.
After admitting she has struggled since Anna died at the age of 29 following her cancer battle in December 2023, June, 44, and daughter Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird explain that having custody of Kaitlyn, 11, is a constant reminder of Anna.
“She’s actually been doing really good. She went to public school when we got her,” June, who was granted custody of Kaitlyn in December 2023, shares. “Her grades were a lot better than the little school that she was going to.”
Despite thriving in school, both Pumpkin, 24, and Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson agree that Kaitlyn is in “shock” over her mother’s death.
“We try to sit down and, like, speak with her and everything and we’re like, ‘Life looks …. the picture looks a little bit different now that your mama’s not here,’” June says. “I don’t think it’s honestly fair that Anna’s not raising Kylee and Kaitlyn. Like, I shouldn’t be doing it and Michael [Cardwell] shouldn’t be doing it. It should be Anna. Period point blank. I said it. I’ve always said it to people.”
While Kaitlyn currently lives with June and her husband, Justin Stroud, Kylee, 8, is living with her biological father, Michael. Unfortunately, June and her immediate family haven’t been in contact with Kylee due to her father’s wishes.
“Anna and Michael had a rocky past and things like that, so I mean, it is what it is,” Pumpkin says about the former couple, who were married from 2015 until 2017. “I respect his wishes, but I do think that Kylee and Kaitlyn really struggle with that because they’ve always been together.
June confirmed her eldest daughter died following her battle with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma on December 10, 2023.
“With the breaking heart, we are announcing that [Anna] is no longer with us,” the longtime reality star wrote via Instagram at the time. “She passed away in my home last night peacefully at 11:12 PM. She gave one hell of a fight for 10 months. She passed away with her family around her. We will be updating y’all with more information as we get it today. We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family [during] this difficult time.”
Fans will get to see Anna’s final months documented on the current season of Mama June: Family Crisis. During the June 14 episode, June expressed concerns that Anna hadn’t accepted she was going to die during her cancer battle.
While discussing the custody arrangements for Kaitlyn and Kylee, June pointed out that Anna’s youngest daughter would live with Michael after her death. “But in Kaitlyn’s situation … Kaitlyn’s biological father is not in the picture. So I need Anna to write the paperwork where she wants Kaitlyn to go to so we all know and we’re all on the same page,” she said in a confessional. “But in a way, I think that if she gets her affairs in order, then she’s accepted that she’s gonna die. And I don’t think that she has totally accepted that.”
Mama June: Family Crisis airs on Wetv Fridays at 9 p.m. ET.
