Cora Jakes Coleman addresses adoption rumor after ex-husband’s arrest for sexual abuse
A spokesperson for Cora Jakes Coleman, the eldest daughter of megachurch Pastor T.D. Jakes, called online allegations that she manipulated a vulnerable Texas mother into giving up her child for adoption “slanderous” on Thursday while insisting that all adoptions made by the 34-year-old divorcée were legally executed.
“Despite slanderous attempts to smear Cora Jakes, her children were properly adopted through a multi-year process with numerous checks and reviews. This process is afforded to anyone in the United States of America and there was no preferential treatment given to Cora. Any claims to the contrary are false and defamatory,” the spokesperson said. “As adoptions are bound by law, the applicable documents and court proceedings preclude detailed public commentary.”
The response comes after the recent arrest of Cora Jake’s former husband, rapper Richard Brandon Coleman, 33, also known by his stage name SkiiVentura, for "continuous sexual abuse of a young child/children." The Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie, Texas, confirmed with The Christian Post on Thursday that Richard Coleman has remained in custody on a $150,000 bond since his arrest on May 4.
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Cora Jakes, who announced her divorce in January, got married on June 4, 2011, and later adopted two children, Amauri, 13, and Jason, 7, during her union with her ex-husband as she struggles with infertility.
Warning: This video contains strong language.
Shortly after her ex-husband’s arrest was made public, Michelle Loud, a Texas hairstylist who identified herself in a tearful video online as Jason’s biological mother. She expressed concern for the safety of her son and accused Cora Jakes and her ex-husband of manipulating her into giving up her son while she was in a vulnerable state.
“She (Cora) played on my vulnerability,” Loud alleged. ”She had me in front of a f------ MacBook recording and asking me questions talking about it was ‘counseling’ but it wasn’t counseling because later on down the line, a few years later, she would then use that evidence against me in court when I went to fight for my son.”
A source close to the family told The Jasmine Brand that Jason was not identified as the victim in the case against Cora Jake’s ex-husband.
Since the discovery of the alleged abuse by her ex-husband, Cora Jakes, who directs the children’s ministry at The Potter’s House of Dallas where her father leads, has been “devastated” along with her extended family and wasted no time in ensuring the abuse was reported to authorities.
“The Jakes family endured a shocking and deeply disturbing event when the ex-husband of Cora Jakes engaged in shameful conduct. After being made aware of the allegations, Cora immediately contacted the authorities, Cora divorced the accused, and the family is attempting to heal at the same time they are fully cooperating with law enforcement,” the family spokesperson said.
Despite the family’s attempt to do the right thing, the spokesperson noted that media speculation has continued to be “mean-spirited” and “unkind.”
“Tragically, unkind speculation and baseless false suggestions spread by gossip sites continues to exacerbate the injuries to the family and has made the healing process even more painful and difficult. The public and mean-spirited false gossip is especially shameful since the principal victim is a minor child who will someday read about these events,” the spokesperson stated.
It was also made clear in the statement that the Jakes family has been cooperating with authorities in the investigation because “they strongly believe in zero tolerance for any kind of abuse.”
“This matter does not involve The Potter’s House. Cora is personally devastated by the events and deserves the privacy and respect of someone who wrestles with feeling responsible for events for which she had no control,” the statement said.
Loud has insisted on Instagram, however, that she did not lie about being manipulated during the adoption process and said she represented herself in court because she could not afford a lawyer.
“The truth is going to outlive a lie any day!” she wrote on Tuesday. “I need legal representation! I need for my voice and story to be heard and all the ones that have been silenced through the years to speak up and stand with me! Spiritual Manipulation is REAL!”
The complete statement from the Jakes family is included below:
“The Jakes family endured a shocking and deeply disturbing event when the ex-husband of Cora Jakes engaged in shameful conduct. After being made aware of the allegations, Cora immediately contacted the authorities, Cora divorced the accused, and the family is attempting to heal at the same time they are fully cooperating with law enforcement.
Tragically, unkind speculation and baseless false suggestions spread by gossip sites continues to exacerbate the injuries to the family and has made the healing process even more painful and difficult. The public and mean-spirited false gossip is especially shameful since the principal victim is a minor child who will someday read about these events.
Here are the facts as we know them today. Cora’s ex-husband is in jail, charged with the sexual abuse of a child. He is in jail because the family immediately reported the abuse to law enforcement authorities and has cooperated at every level with law enforcement and the prosecution. The family acted swiftly and without hesitation as they strongly believe in zero tolerance for any kind of abuse. This matter does not involve The Potter’s House. Cora is personally devastated by the events and deserves the privacy and respect of someone who wrestles with feeling responsible for events for which she had no control.
Despite slanderous attempts to smear Cora Jakes, her children were properly adopted through a multi-year process with numerous checks and reviews. This process is afforded to anyone in the United States of America and there was no preferential treatment given to Cora. Any claims to the contrary are false and defamatory. As adoptions are bound by law, the applicable documents and court proceedings preclude detailed public commentary.
The Jakes family is attempting to heal itself, the minor child that has been abused, and the adults who are also traumatized by these events. It is unfortunate that perpetuating baseless gossip will only risk greater pain and injury to the minor as this child will have to explain to others in the future what was written about them, even though the child has no voice today.
The Jakes family asks to be included in your prayers as they focus on healing.”
