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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby Jameelah Mullen <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n February 5, 2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Sparkle\u2019s niece, Reshona Landfair, alleges her aunt was partly responsible for her abuse in a new memoir.<\/p>\n R&B singer Sparkle, a former R. Kelly prot\u00e9g\u00e9, is speaking out against new allegations from her niece, Reshona Landfair, who claims she was groomed and abused by Kelly as a teenager. Landfair asserts that her aunt, whose real name is Stephanie Edwards, played a role <\/a>in introducing her to Kelly and her subsequent abuse.\u00a0<\/p>\n Landfair is the 14-year-old girl in the sexually explicit video that became key evidence in his federal court case. Kelly was later convicted on several charges, including child pornography, bribery, sex trafficking, and multiple Mann Act violations. The singer was sentenced to 30 years in prison<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In her memoir Who\u2019s Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly\u2019s Abuse<\/em>, Landfair accuses her aunt Sparkle<\/a> of encouraging her to get closer to R. Kelly. According to Landfair, the encounter led to years of physical and mental abuse.<\/p>\n Sparkle, who is best known for her 1998 duet with Kelly, \u201cBe Careful,\u201d responded to the allegations on Instagram.<\/p>\n \u201cAny suggestion that I groomed, facilitated, or enabled harm to my niece is untrue and deeply painful, especially given my documented history at the time and throughout,\u201d the R&B singer wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n She explained that after discovering her niece was spending time with Kelly unsupervised, she contacted DCFS and cooperated with authorities. She also mentioned that she testified against Kelly<\/a> in his 2008 child pornography case, even though she was advised not to. Sparkle said she testified against the disgraced musician because she prioritized her niece\u2019s safety over her career.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The singer sent her niece well wishes and mentioned that Landfair might still be trying to understand<\/a> what happened to her and who could be responsible for the harm.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wish her continued healing and peace as she continues to not only find her voice, but hopefully require accountability from those closest to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Released on Feb 3, 2005, Who\u2019s Watching Shorty? Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly\u2019s Abuse <\/em>is available for purchase in audio or hard copy formats.<\/p>\n RELATED CONTENT:<\/strong> 14-Year-Old Jane Doe From Infamous R. Kelly Sex Tape Reveals \u2018True Self\u2019 In Memoir<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n
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