Wynonna Judd’s second marriage went down in flames in 2007 when her husband D.R. Roach was arrested and convicted for attempted sexual battery towards a child under the age of 13. As Judd explained, she was in an airport when the news broke but took action as soon as she arrived home. “He was out of the house within the hour,” the singer told Oprah, reflecting on how protective she felt towards her own children. “I called him everything I could think of. I had a moment where I let it all fly, and then it was done.” She filed for divorce five days after he was initially arrested.
“I trusted him with my life, and I didn’t want to stop trusting,” Judd continued. “It’s a little tough because once burned, forever fears the fire.” The singer made it clear that there were aspects of the situation that she wouldn’t talk about, in order to protect the child’s privacy, but she did confirm that they weren’t a stranger and that Roach had been at a Texas rehab center at the time. “I knew that both Roach and I had issues with addiction when I married him,” Judd said in Ladies’ Home Journal (viaPeople). “I really thought that I could change people through loving them enough. It doesn’t work that way.” She added that her priority was not saving her marriage, but looking after her two kids.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).