R. Kelly and his fiancée Joycelyn Savage have reportedly welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Ava Lee Kelly, conceived through IVF.
Joycelyn Savage shared news of her daughter’s arrival by posting two photos of the newborn over the weekend. The first, shared on Saturday (December 17) was simply captioned with the baby’s name and date of birth, December 8, 2022; while Savage included a sweet message to her child along with the second snap, posted Sunday (December 18).
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“My baby girl Ava when you were born, my whole world shined so bright,” she wrote. “I knew that it was no longer about me anymore it was about us. Though the world is cold, I promise to always protect you. I am so happy to be your mother & you bring me so much joy . 12.08.22”
Neither R. Kelly nor his attorney have issued a statement on Ava Lee Kelly’s birth.
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Jocelyn Savage, who is one of the disgraced star’s alleged sex crime victims, released a memoir entitled Love and Joy of Robert in August, in which she revealed that she was carrying Kelly’s child. However, in a statement to TMZ, Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, refuted the claims, writing that Savage “is certainly not pregnant with R. Kelly’s child.”
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Savage responded to Bonjean’s comments, explaining that the singer’s attorney had no idea she was undergoing IVF prior to Kelly’s incarceration for sex crimes.
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“Robert and I were doing IVF because at the time I was told I couldn’t have a baby,” Savage said. “When he got sent to prison, we paused on it, and I had them freeze my eggs until I was ready. Once his lawyer did find out, she wanted me to have an abortion because she didn’t feel that now was the time for me to have a child following the 30-year sentence.”
Savage continued: “Me and Robert wanted to have a child for a long time. He is very happy about it, but his lawyer isn’t. Once I told her I was keeping my baby, she didn’t want me to announce it, but I wanted to share the news. I’ve always been there for him, even before this new lawyer came into the picture.”
R. Kelly remains behind bars following his June 2022 sentencing. He was convicted on nine counts of various racketeering and sex trafficking charges in September 2021’s trial; and again in September 2022, this time on child pornography charges by a federal jury in Chicago.
According to The Chicago Tribune, the embattled R&B star was found guilty on Wednesday (September 14) of making videotapes of himself sexually abusing his then-14-year-old goddaughter decades ago. The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer was acquitted, however, of the count alleging he videotaped himself having sexual contact with “Jane” and prosecution witness Lisa Van Allen in his 2002 Cook County case.
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His lawyer has said they plan to appeal R. Kelly’s sentence. During a post-sentencing press conference, Bonjean called the additional Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organization (RICO) act charge “inappropriate.”
R. Kelly has three older children from his previous marriage to Andrea Kelly: 24-year-old singer Joann, 22-year-old Jaah, and 20-year-old Robert Jr. During a radio interview alongside her mother over the summer, his eldest daughter, who performs under the name Buku Abi, revealed that her career has been stalled because of her father’s name.
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“Trying to get into the industry and all those years it’s either been you’re getting it because of who your dad is or you not getting it because of who your dad is,” the singer and songwriter said. “I’ve been this close to a record deal and when they found out who I was it got swiped away…the paperwork was drawn up and everything. Flew out to L.A., and everything. [Somebody] found out who I was, and that was it.”
