The rumor that Janet Jackson had a secret daughter with James DeBarge back in the 80s won’t go away — but now Janet’s former mother-in-law, Etterlene DeBarge, says the rumors are true.
via Inside Edition:
Jackson eloped with Etterlene’s son, musician James DeBarge, in 1984 when she was 18-years-old and the marriage was annulled in 1985. Etterlene tells INSIDE EDITION that she believes that during that time Jackson became pregnant. “I told her she was pregnant. I didn’t ask her. I said, ‘Girl, you’re pregnant. Look how fat you’re getting.’ She just laughed it off. She never denied it,” Etterlene says.
After Jackson’s marriage to DeBarge collapsed, Etterlene lost touch with her, but heard the stories that Jackson went into seclusion to give birth, and that her newborn was placed in foster care.
Etterlene tells INSIDE EDITION that a woman named Tiffany reached out to her claiming to be Jackson’s daughter. “I told her, ‘The proof is in the pudding. Let’s go get a DNA test,’” she says.
The DNA results showed that the probability of relatedness between Tiffany and Etterlene DeBarge is 96.7%. Tiffany lives in Philadelphia and is 31-years-old, the correct age if Jackson gave birth in 1985.
Etterlene tells INSIDE EDITION that she’s convinced that Tiffany is her granddaughter and that Tiffany’s biological parents are Jackson and her son, James DeBarge.
Tune into Inside Edition on Thursday, February 23rd for the full report.
