Joycelyn Savage Contacts Family After Bizarre R. Kelly Interview

Joycelyn Savage, one of R. Kelly’s girlfriends who has been estranged from her family for several years, contacted her parents Wednesday, soon after the singer’s bizarre interview with CBS This Morning.

Gerald Griggs, an attorney for the Savage family – whose attempts to reconnect with their daughter were featured  in the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly – tweeted that Joycelyn reached out to her parents by phone after Kelly’s interview and reiterated that she remains with Kelly by choice. According to Griggs, it was the first time they spoke to her since 2017. Savage’s parents have long claimed that Kelly has brainwashed their daughter into staying with him.

“We are glad to finally hear from Joycelyn today,” Griggs tells Rolling Stone. “After speaking with her little sister, Joycelyn paused from the seemingly prepared script and was able to share her love for her family. We hope that today was the first step to re-establishing a loving relationship with her family.”

In video of the phone call, Savage appeared to recite a prepared message to her parents. “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,” Joycelyn said.

However, when her younger sister hopped on the phone call, Joycelyn became silent; Joycelyn then said she loved her sibling before asking that her parents come back on the phone. When her mother reentered the conversation, Joycelyn repeated the “million, million times” statement again.

“She would have called home by now. She would have called my mom, my dad, my little sister,” Joycelyn’s 18-year-old sister Jailyn said at a press conference Wednesday. “I know for a fact that my sister is not OK. R. Kelly is mentally destroying her. I just want her home. He has put a lot of things in her head that makes her think the world is out to get her.”

A rep for Kelly declined to comment on the phone conversation or Griggs’ statement.

Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary, another of Kelly’s girlfriends estranged from her family, will appear on Friday’s episode of CBS This Morning to discuss their seemingly consensual relationship with Kelly.

Joycelyn’s father Timothy Savage tweeted Wednesday prior to his daughter’s phone call, “Today on CBS This Morning Robert Kelly has had a emotional breakdown. We need to stay in prayer for R. Kelly and we need to stay in prayer for Joycelyn savage and Azriel [Clary].”

In Kelly’s erratic interview with Gayle King, the singer insinuated that the girls’ families “handed” the women over to him for financial gain.

Both Griggs and Michael Avanetti, a lawyer for the Clary family, denied Kelly’s claim:

via:: Rolling Stone