After the failure to respond to a lawsuit and show up in court, a woman who accused R. Kelly of sexual abuse won a civil case by default, according to NBC News. The woman was only 16 years old when she was allegedly abused by R.Kelly repeatedly for more than a year.
This woman, who’s identified as “H.W.’ in criminal court filings, is just one of four accusers – three of whom were underage during the time of their alleged abuse – at the forefront of the criminal case(s) surrounding Kelly. The lawsuit clearly stated that Kelly allegedly began engaging in a sexual relationship with the women when she was 16 years old.
Since Kelly was a no-show on Tuesday, April 23, the judge, Moira Johnson, will hear from the woman at a court hearing next month before determining the amount in damages Kelly will pay for. The case was originally filed in February in Chicago, just a day before Kelly was arrested on 10 charges of sexual abuse.
Back in March, R Kelly was granted release from jail after over $160,000 in child support was paid back. Kelly didn’t pay for the six-figure bond himself, but it was posted by an individual who remains anonymous.
After rumor’s of Kelly’s alleged sexual abuse of women had been circulating for years, everything was highlighted in a Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” where Kelly himself maintains his innocence in light of the media attention.