Anna Marie Cardwell, also known by her nickname “Chickadee,” was born on August 28, 1994, in McIntyre, Georgia, USA. She was the eldest daughter of June “Mama June” Shannon and David Dunn. Anna grew up mostly with her maternal grandmother, as her mother was a teenager at the time of her birth and often unable to care for her. She later reunited with her mother and siblings around the time their family gained public attention on reality television.
Anna first appeared on television in the show Toddlers & Tiaras, which featured her younger sister Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson. This led to the launch of the family’s own reality series, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, on TLC in 2012. On the show, Anna was known for her nickname “Chickadee” and became popular with viewers for her down-to-earth personality and openness about her life. The show followed the lives of the Shannon family and became widely known for its focus on Southern culture and unusual family dynamics.
In her personal life, Anna gave birth to her first daughter, Kaitlyn Elizabeth, in 2012 when she was just 18 years old. Kaitlyn was born with an extra thumb on one hand, which was surgically removed a few years later. In May 2014, Anna married Michael Cardwell, and together they had a second daughter, Kylee Madison, in December 2015. Their marriage ended in 2017, and Anna later began a relationship with Eldridge Toney, whom she married on March 4, 2023.
In January 2023, Anna was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. The disease had already spread to other parts of her body, including her liver, kidney, and lungs. She went through treatments such as chemotherapy, but her condition continued to worsen. Anna passed away at the age of 29 on December 9, 2023, at her mother June’s home, surrounded by close family members. Her death occurred on the same day as her daughter Kylee’s 8th birthday.
After her passing, custody of Anna’s daughters became a legal matter. June Shannon, her mother, was awarded full legal and physical custody of Kaitlyn Elizabeth. According to court documents, Anna’s ex-husband Michael Cardwell was not given automatic visitation rights and could only visit Kaitlyn if all parties agreed. The family, especially Anna’s siblings and mother, publicly shared their grief and honored Anna's memory as someone who had stayed strong and loving despite many hardships in her life.
Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell, known from Here Comes Honey Boo Booand Toddlers & Tiaras, had an estimated net worth of about $1 millionwhen she died in December 2023. Most outlets point to this figure, noting that her income came primarily from her participation in reality TV shows and occasional side jobs like retail work or car sales, although she had largely stepped away from television in her later years.