R. Kelly Sexually Abused Aaliyah When She Was 13 or 14, Witness Says

The witness, a former backup performer, said she walked in on the singers as they were engaged in a sex act around 1993, one year before they were illegally married.

A former backup performer for R. Kelly testified that she saw Mr. Kelly engaging in a sex act with the R&B singer Aaliyah around 1993, when Aaliyah was only 13 or 14 years old. The woman, who testified under only the name Angela, told jurors at Mr. Kelly’s criminal trial in Brooklyn that she was performing with Mr. Kelly on tour when she went to visit the singer on his tour bus. But as she began to open the door, Angela said, she saw Mr. Kelly, who was in his mid-20s at the time, and Aaliyah “in a sexual situation,” she told jurors. Aaliyah was seated in a chair, she said, and Mr. Kelly was kneeling and appeared to be performing a sex act on the girl.