The country star’s 29-year-old daughter says growing up in a famous family meant being “swept under the rug,” with abuse hidden behind fame, silence, and a polished image.
Grace Kelley, daughter of country music star Wynonna Judd, is speaking out about a childhood shaped by trauma and instability — and the long road that led her to faith, healing, and recovery.
Wynonna Judd performs at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas, on May 8, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
In a July 2025 interview with The Daily Progress, Kelley revealed she was placed in 14 different facilities between the ages of 12 and 17 while struggling with drug addiction, mental health challenges, and family dysfunction.
“My story is so messed up,” she added. Kelley grew up in Tennessee surrounded by church teachings, but what happened at home didn’t match those values.
Grace Kelley poses with her mother Wynonna Judd backstage at “Little Women” on Broadway, March 23, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
Even though her family was in the public eye, Kelley said her personal life was far from stable. Her 61-year-old mother and her late grandmother, Naomi Judd, were both Grammy-winning country musicians and members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Her aunt, Ashley Judd, is a well-known actress with several major film credits, including “Heat,” “Kiss the Girls,” and “Double Jeopardy.”
Naomi, Ashley, and Wynonna Judd attend the Youth AIDS Gala in Washington, D.C., on September 14, 2005 | Source: Getty Images
Still, Kelley said that growing up in a famous family didn’t shield her from abuse at home. She alleged that her stepfather, D.R. Roach — Judd’s former husband and bodyguard — molested her when she was a child.
According to Kelley, her mother’s initial response was to bring the family together for counseling. But once the abuse was disclosed in a session, she said, others realized the severity of the situation and decided to report it to law enforcement.
Wynonna Judd and D.R. Roach attend the MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Sting on February 6, 2004 | Source: Getty Images
Roach was arrested in 2007. Kelley was only 10 years old when that happened. Roach later pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated sexual battery. Kelley said her mother filed for divorce only after the arrest became public.
Reflecting on that period, Kelley said, “So is my mom rich? Yeah, she’s so rich that she was able to sweep me under the rug and abuse me and then cover it all up. I don’t want to talk bad about my mom, but we’ll just say she’s a good performer. She was never a mother.”
Wynonna Judd attends the 2023 CMT Music Awards in Austin, Texas, on April 2, 2023 | Source: Getty Images
Although Judd has not publicly addressed her daughter’s claims, she spoke briefly about her role as a caregiver in a January 2025 interview on “Today with Jenna & Friends” hosted by Jenna Bush Hager.
“I don’t have a computer. I don’t watch television unless it’s planned ’cause I’m raising my 2 1/2- year-old granddaughter, I listen to her,” Judd said, adding that her granddaughter watches a popular children’s YouTube program starring Ms. Rachel.
While Judd focused on caregiving, Kelley was navigating a series of legal and personal struggles. In May 2023, she was jailed in Tennessee for violating a protection order and her parole.
Nearly a year later, in April 2024, she was arrested in Alabama on misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure and obstructing government operations. She allegedly exposed herself at a busy Millbrook intersection and refused to cooperate with officers.
Then, in August of the same year, she was taken into custody in Georgia and charged with fleeing police, driving with a suspended license, and using improper motorcycle equipment. She was later released on $2,750 bond.
A turning point came in October 2024, when Kelley was arrested after an unusual incident involving a church van in Charlottesville.
According to The Daily Progress, she was hallucinating from drugs when she climbed into a trailer hitched to a van belonging to Ground Zero Church of the Nazarene. She didn’t realize the trailer was part of church property and said she fell asleep during the ride.
The church’s pastor, Kent Hart, unknowingly drove her to his home in Scottsville. When he got out, Kelley woke up, panicked, and drove off with the van. Police later intercepted her, and she was arrested and later charged with seven crimes.
In December, she accepted a plea deal reducing the charges to three: drugged driving, petty larceny, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was sentenced to time served — about six weeks in jail. Legal analyst David Heilberg said the time was likely enough for her to detox and start turning her life around.
Despite a court order to stay away from the church, Pastor Hart and his wife, Megan, contacted Kelley through Facebook. They welcomed her back, and earlier this year, Kelley was baptized. She now attends church services and maintains her sobriety.
Kelley credited the couple with helping her break the cycle of addiction, saying their support played a key role in her decision to get sober and change her life.
Before meeting the Harts, she had been moving from place to place and getting into legal trouble in several states. She came to Charlottesville hoping to build a relationship with someone, but it ended soon after she arrived.
Reflecting on her journey, Kelley said she had spent years searching for a sense of belonging, “My entire life, the reason I travel so much is I was looking for home…But ever since I came to Charlottesville and I gave my life to God — oh, man, it’s just beautiful. I love it here.”
