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Where Does Mama June Stand With Her Daughters Following Estrangement, Anna’s Death?
Family matters. June “Mama June” Shannon has had complex relationships with all four of her daughters over the years, but time has brought the family together.
How Many Daughters Does Mama June Have?
June is the proud mother to four daughters, though her eldest daughter tragically died in December 2023.
She welcomed eldest daughter Anna Marie “Chickadee“ Cardwell with ex David Dunn in 1994, followed by daughters Jessica Shannon in 1996 and Lauryn “Pumpkin“ Shannon in 2000 with ex Michael Anthony Ford.
Her youngest daughter, Alana “Honey Boo Boo“ Thompson, was born in 2005 and she shares her with ex Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson.
Why Was Mama June Estranged From Her Daughters?
June has had drama with her daughters over the years. Her estrangement with Anna began when June was rumored to have rekindled her romance with Mark McDaniel, whom she previously dated when Anna was a child. In 2003, Anna claimed that Mark molested her when she was just 8 years old. Mark was arrested for the crime and was sentenced to serve 10 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to child molestation in 2004.
Due to June’s alleged romance with Mark, the mother-daughter duo had a falling out. However, Lauryn told Radar that her mother and Mark were not back together at the time.
Meanwhile, June’s drug addiction contributed to her strained relationships with her other daughters.
In March 2019, the former Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Her then-boyfriend Eugene “Geno” Doak was also arrested and charged with third-degree domestic violence, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Following the arrest, Alana moved in with Lauryn and her husband, Josh Efird.
June and Geno faced felony charges stemming from the arrest and their attorney entered a not guilty plea on their behalf in September. They both sought treatment at the Banyan Treatment Facility in Florida to begin their sobriety journeys.
In August 2021, June agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, court supervision and other conditions that included random drug screenings. Meanwhile, Geno was ordered to spend 16 months in the community corrections program.
Lauryn filed for custody of Alana in December 2021, according to court documents obtained by In Touch at the time. She was awarded sole custody of her younger sister the following April. In addition to the new custody arrangement, June was ordered to pay Lauryn $800 in child support per month.
Where Does Mama June Stand With Her Daughters Now?
Despite having drama with her daughters in the past, June appears to be on much better terms with her children now, and they’ve lent on one another during times of celebration and grief.
In February 2023, Anna, Jessica, Lauryn and Alana reunited to attend June’s second wedding to Justin Stroud.
June and Justin exclusively spoke to In Touch in May 2023 about what it meant to have all four of her daughters at their second wedding.
The Mama June: From Not to Hot star said that the ceremony was “amazing” and only included 38 guests. “His family was there and my family was there and that was the only people that was there at our wedding for the whole weekend,” she explained.
Justin added that “having everybody there” made the event feel like “a bigger moment than just a wedding.”
“There was a lot of moving parts, so for it to all work and it went off smoothly, that speaks volumes,” he continued. “It turned out as a beautiful weekend.”
Meanwhile, June was by Anna’s side as she fights stage 4 cancer.
“We talk, we text,” June exclusively told In Touch about where their relationship stood at the time. “We all communicate like if she has something going on.”
June also made sure her family was able to spend quality time with Anna before her death in November 2023.
“We are going on a ‘last family trip’ with my sister Anna on Thursday,” Lauryn told fans in a post shared on the Facebook page for her and Alana’s online boutique on November 28, 2023.
June also revealed that Anna’s family was by her side when she died on December 9, 2023. “With the breaking heart, we are announcing that [Anna] is no longer with us,” she wrote via Instagram. “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.”
The whole family reunited for Anna’s funeral, leaning on one another for support during their shared grief.
