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Florida family of alleged R. Kelly victim asks for public's help

Miami Herald - 1/15/2019

Jan. 14--A Florida family has been pulled into the R. Kelly nightmare.

Alice and Angelo Clary, of Polk County appeared in the shocking Lifetime documentary "Surviving R. Kelly," about their daughter Azriel Clary. The six part series details the R&B singer's alleged sexual abuse of various young women. The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer denies all claims of abuse despite being under a criminal investigation in Georgia.

The aspiring singer was 17 when she crossed Kelly's path at an Orlando concert in 2015, her mother says in the show, adding that the girl persuaded her parents to let the music superstar be her mentor and let her travel with him.

Azriel's parents reluctantly agreed but made sure that a family member of legal age was always watching over the teenager.

Her older sister A'Iceis was one of the first to notice something amiss.

In the docuseries, A'lceis says she went to Chicago to stay with her and things felt off.

"When I got out there, it wasn't what Azriel made it to be," she said in the series. "Azriel made it to be like she could go places, she could do things. We couldn't do nothing. She couldn't walk out the room without calling R. Kelly. It was all about what R. Kelly wanted."

She says that when she complained to R. Kelly's people and tried to get her sister to come back with her to Florida, they pinned her down and told her, "If you say anything, your sister won't make it out alive, or your family."

"R. Kelly brainwashed my sister," said A'lceis in the documentary. "He does everything a sick pervert would do."

Alice Clary told Tampa's NWFLA News Channel 8 she hadn't spoke to her estranged daughter in roughly four years. "I miss you so much. I love you, and I never gave up hope," she cried.

The Clarys have set up a GoFundMe page to help defray costs involved with rescuing their daughter from R. Kelly's so-called sex cult.

They say donations will go to helping with costs of private investigators, attorney fees and therapy and hospitalization for Azriel once she is back home.

"We have been working behind the scenes diligently to try to get Azriel home safely," reads the post. "Traveling to different states to try to reach her, speaking with different authorities, doctors, attorneys and organizations for assistance in what can be done and how to do it."

Commenters were, for the most part, sympathetic, but cautious about giving.

"R Kelly is a monster and he knew exactly how to con these young girls, which age to do it, and it does not make it right," wrote one. "I pray your family gets some peace of mind one day."

"At the end of the day it is a sad situation but money not going to make her come home," added another. "She grown with common sense! It's obvious where ever she is, is where she wanna be."

And finally: "What parent in their right mind would let their child go around someone who is suppose to be doing things with underage girls? F--- if he famous. All parents are at fault too."

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