Aaliyah's Mother Denies Claims That R. Kelly Had Underage Sex With Her Daughter
Diane Houghton called the claims "lies and fabrications that cannot be tolerated."
Thursday night came the debut of Lifetime's documentary series Surviving R. Kelly. During the first episode, new details emerged about R. Kelly's relationship with Aaliyah, including a claim made by a backup singer about witnessing Kelly having sex with a 15-year-old Aaliyah on a tour bus.
"We were out on the road with Aaliyah," Jovante Cunningham, one of Aaliyah's backup singers, said. "On a tour bus, there really aren't many confined spaces. When you get on the bus there are bunks and so these bunks have little curtains you can pull at night if you don't want anybody to see you sleeping."
READ: The Four Most Revelatory Takeaways From The First Two Episodes Of 'Surviving R. Kelly'
"The door flew open on the bus. Robert [Kelly] was having sex with Aaliyah," she added.
Now, Diane Haughton, Aaliyah's mother, has released a statement on Cunningham's claims, calling them "lies and fabrications that cannot be tolerated." She also criticized the documentary.
"The woman and so-called backup singer that describes seeing, meeting or ever breathing the same air as my daughter, Aaliyah, is lying and is a liar," Haughton said in a statement put on Twitter. "My husband and I were always on tour with her and at interviews and every place she went throughout her entire career. Whoever this woman is, I have never seen her before anywhere on planet earth, until now."
"My daughter only wanted to realize her dream of sharing her talent with the world, and give her all performing on stage and in front of the camera for the fans she adored so much. She realized that dream, thanks to those true fans who still love and support her legacy unconditionally to this day," Houghton's statement continued. "Shame on all those involved in this project who thought it kosher to drag Aaliyah's name into a situation that has nothing to do with her today. Once again, this will not be tolerated."