Mama June Shannon has hit back at the "hate" her teenage daughter has received for dating a 20 year old.
Mama June Shannon slams 'hate' her daughter is getting for dating a 20 year old
Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson, 16, has been in a relationship with Dralin Carswell since the start of 2021, and the pair have faced criticism for the almost four-year age gap between them, as well as being in an interracial partnership.
Defending their romance, Mama June, 42, told TooFab: “Yes, I’ve met Dralin. They’ve been together for over a year.
“People need to realise that she’s going to be 17 in August and that Pumpkin [Alana's older sister] and Josh were the same age as they were."
The 'Dumb and Dumber' star - who is also mother to Lauryn, 22, and Jessica, 25 - insisted Alana is "not" the young child "y'all fell in love with" when they starred in the reality series 'Toddlers Tiaras' in 2011.
She added: "She is getting a lot of hate because she’s in an interracial relationship, he is older, but at the end of the day, Alana’s not that 6-7 year old child y’all fell in love with 11 years ago. Alana has grown up, she’s graduating high school next year, guys!”
Meanwhile, last week another star of 'Toddlers and Tiaras' sadly passed away from suicide.
Kailia Posey, who was the same age as Alana, sadly took her own life on May 3.
The child star appeared on the beauty pageant reality show along with mum Marcy Posey Gatterman at the age of five back in 2013.
In a statement, her mom told TMZ: "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life."
She confirmed Kailia's sad death last week in a brief post on Facebook.
She wrote: "I don’t have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever."
During her short career, Kailia managed to reach global fame on social media when a GIF of her five-year-old self grinning on the TLC reality show went viral as a meme.
She continued to compete in pageants following her stint on the reality show and had even starred as Agnes in Netflix film 'Eli', while back in January she announced she was competing in Miss Washington Teen USA.