The mother of one of R. Kelly‘s girlfriends pleaded Monday to meet with her daughter in person for the first time in two years. Jonjelyn Savage told reporters outside her attorney’s office in Georgia that she was concerned about her daughter Joycelyn Savage, who told CBS News last week that she was in a willing relationship with the embattled singer.
Savage family attorney Gerald Griggs said Kelly’s publicist called him Wednesday to set up a face-to-face meeting between Joycelyn Savage and her family. Griggs said he was told the meeting could happen on Monday or Tuesday but he hasn’t heard from Kelly’s team since.
“Joycelyn, if you do hear my message, please know that your mother loves you dearly,” Jonjelyn Savage said at the press conference. “All the lies, manipulation, things that you have heard about your family — that we took money, that we don’t want to see you — those are all lies.”
In an interview with “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King last week, Joycelyn Savage, 23, and Azriel Clary, 21, defended their relationships with the 52-year-old singer, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four other women. “Both our parents are basically out here, they’re trying to get money and scam,” Joycelyn Savage told King.
Clary’s parents have also denied asking Kelly for money or receiving money from him. The families believe Kelly has brainwashed the women.
On Monday, Jonjelyn Savage told reporters that she had no doubt that her daughter has feelings for Kelly. “We just want to make sure she’s mentally, physically sound, healthy and that she’s not been mistreated in any way, but as the broken promises continue and we don’t hear from her for weeks, months, years at a time, it’s something seriously wrong,” she said.
Joycelyn Savage called her family Wednesday, saying that she was “very happy.” On Monday, Griggs said the call lasted two-and-a-half minutes, and Jonjelyn Savage said she thought her daughter’s comments were being monitored.
The Savage family doesn’t want Kelly to be with Joycelyn Savage if she meets with them. “I believe that the conversation would go a whole other way,” Jonjelyn Savage said, “and that she will eventually realize slowly what she’s been going through.”
