For years, Wynonna Judd’s family life has been shadowed by public struggles and private pain. Now, her daughter Grace Kelley has stepped forward to share her story. Her revelations bring a difficult new light to the country star’s past.
According to People, Wynonna Judd’s daughter accused her former stepfather, D. R. Roach, of sexually abusing her when she was 10 years old. Roach, who was married to Judd from 2003 to 2007, faced arrest in 2007 for sexual battery against a minor. Judd divorced him soon after. Kelley now claims her mother helped cover up the abuse.
Grace Kelley Opens Up About Her Past
Wynonna Judd’s daughter Grace Kelley says singer ‘was never a mother,’ claims ex-stepfather molested her at age 10.
Claimed her ex-stepfather, D. R. Roach, molested her when she was just 10 years old.https://t.co/BX007l4UuE
— Dalton (@DaltonReport) August 22, 2025
In her conversation with The Daily Progress, Kelley recalled counseling sessions where the truth emerged. When law enforcement became involved, Roach’s arrest made headlines. Judd quickly ended the marriage, but Kelley says the divorce did not erase her pain. “She was so rich that she was able to sweep me under the rug and abuse me and then cover it all up,” Kelley said. She described her mother as a gifted performer but not a nurturing parent.
Wynonna Judd’s daughter has also endured struggles in the years since. She faced legal troubles and served time in jail. Today, she says she has found stability through sobriety and religion. She is now working on a memoir titled Pronoia. “I never had a voice, and I was iffy about talking about all this stuff, but no matter what is said about me, the Bible says the truth will set you free,” she said.
A Complicated Family Legacy
Kelley’s revelations are not the first time abuse has touched the Judd family. Wynonna has previously spoken about being molested at age 12, an experience that shaped her adolescence and her ability to trust. In 2010, she reflected on her divorce from Roach, telling Oprah Winfrey she went into “mama bear mode” after his arrest.
Today, Judd is raising Kelley’s young daughter, Kaliyah, while continuing her decades-long career. But the painful distance between mother and daughter remains clear. As Wynonna Judd’s daughter works to reclaim her voice and tell her story, the family’s legacy once again lies under the spotlight, tied not just to music but also to tragedy.