Wynonna Judd’s Daughter Accuses Singer of Covering Up Stepdad’s Abuse
Grace Kelley Accuses Wynonna Judd of Covering Up Past Abuse
Grace Kelley, the daughter of Wynonna Judd from her first marriage, has publicly claimed that she was sexually abused by her former stepfather, D. R. Roach, and alleged that Wynonna Judd knowingly concealed the abuse.
In an interview, Kelley recounted that she was 10 years old when the abuse occurred, which she states happened during the period when Judonna was married to Roach from 2003 to 2007. Kelley claimed that the abuse surfaced when the family sought counseling and reported the incident to law enforcement. She accused her mother of intentionally hiding the allegations, stating, “So is my mom rich? Yeah, she’s so rich that she was able to sweep me under the rug and abuse me and then cover it all up.” Kelley described Judd as a talented performer but criticized her for lacking maternal care.
Roach, a former bodyguard for Judd, was arrested in 2007 in Texas and charged with multiple counts of sexual battery against a child. He was convicted of attempted aggravated sexual battery, though the victim was never publicly identified. Kelley noted that the abuse allegations only became publicly known after Roach’s arrest, which prompted Judd to divorce him.
Kelley also shared that she is now sober after battling drug addiction and has found solace in religion. She resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is raising her young daughter, Kaliyah. Kelley expressed feelings of displacement, revealing, “My entire life, the reason I travel so much is I was looking for home. But ever since I came to Charlottesville and I gave my life to God — oh, man, it’s just beautiful. I love it here.”
Despite her tumultuous past, Kelley maintains a focus on her healing journey. She acknowledged knowing the victim in the abuse case but chose to remain silent, emphasizing that the victim’s story should be told when they are ready. She concluded, “I had to separate from it or it would have killed me. I literally had to physically, emotionally and spiritually place them at the feet of Jesus.”