The woman at the centre of sex cult allegations against R. Kelly has reached out to her parents for the first time in years following the singer's bizarre rant on a U.S. news show.
Joycelyn Savage contacted her family shortly after footage of the singer raging against the allegations mounting up against him aired on CBS This Morning on Wednesday (06Mar19).
In an emotionally-charged interview with Gayle King, Kelly broke down as he defended himself against multiple assault allegations and claims he kept women captive at his homes for the purpose of grooming them for sex.
Savage's parents have been trying to reach their daughter for months but she has brushed off their advances, insisting she is not Kelly's sex slave.
Now Gerald Griggs, the Savage family's lawyer has revealed Jocelyn reached out to her estranged parents and he now hopes this is "the first step to re-establishing a loving relationship with her family."
The family's attempts to reconnect with their daughter featured in the damning docu-series Surviving R. Kelly, which aired in America in January.
Griggs tells Rolling Stone magazine that Jocelyn spent 30 minutes talking to her parents over the phone after Kelly’s interview aired and assured them she remains with Kelly by choice. According to Griggs, it was the first time Savage’s parents, who claim Kelly has brainwashed their daughter, have spoken to Jocelyn since 2017.
Speaking at a press conference, her sister Jailyn said, "She would have called home by now. She would have called my mom, my dad, my little sister. I know for a fact that my sister is not OK. R. Kelly is mentally destroying her. I just want her home."
"We are glad to finally hear from Joycelyn today,” Griggs told tolling Stone. "After speaking with her little sister, Joycelyn paused from the seemingly prepared script and was able to share her love for her family."
In video of the phone call, Savage appeared to recite a prepared message to her parents, stating, "I have told you guys a million, million times that I am OK where I am and I’m happy, so I just want to let you know that,."
During his erratic CBS interview, Kelly suggested Joycelyn’s father, Timothy Savage, and the parents of another girl, Azriel Claire, "handed" the women over to him for financial gain.
Griggs responded on Twitter, writing: "At no point did the Savages sell #JoycelynSavage to @rkelly. No money was ever requested or given to the Savages. Stop the lies or show the receipts. #RKelly. Tim Savage has never met R Kelly."
Kelly's legal woes are continuing to pile up after he was arrested for allegedly owing more than $160,000 (£121,000) in child support to his ex-wife hours after the TV interview aired. The singer will reportedly be held in Cook County Jail until he pays the full amount.
