TikTok star Zoe Laverne, 19, apologizes for kissing 13-year-old fan in leaked video and claims they 'just ended up catching feelings'
The 19-year-old TikTok star Zoe Laverne has apologized for kissing a 13-year-old fan after a video of the incident leaked on social media.
Laverne, who has nearly 18 million followers on the app, apologized for her actions in a live stream this week but denied ‘grooming’ the young fan, a fellow TikToker named Connor.
She said she and Connor - whose last name DailyMail.com is not disclosing on account of his age - became ‘best friends’ and 'caught feelings' for eachother.
But Laverne said they realized the age difference between them was 'a bad thing’ after the video of their kiss was filmed.
‘I didn't groom Connor, I wouldn't do that. He's a kid and I'm aware of that. It just happened,’ Laverne said in the stream. ‘We both were in a dark place when we first became friends and we both just ended up catching feelings for each other. And friends do that, they catch feelings for each other.’
She continued: ‘That's not a bad thing. Yes, the age is a bad thing. Yes, it's wrong. Yes, it's not good. We both realized that and we stopped.’
The 19-year-old TikTok star Zoe Laverne has apologized for developing ‘feelings’ for a 13-year-old fan after a video showing her kissing the teen boy (shown with Laverne right) leaked on social media
Connor, who himself has a TikTok audience of more than 350,000 people, frequently collaborates with Laverne in her videos. However, she says the pair have since ended their friendship.
On October 24, direct messages between one of Laverne’s former friends and her ex-boyfriend leaked online.
In the texts, Laverne’s former friend wrote: ‘I left because of her interactions with Connor. They got very intense and it's something I do not stand by what so ever. It's pedophilia.’
Days later, the video of Laverne and Connor kissing then surfaced online.
Connor has also addressed the controversy in his own posts to social media, insisting Laverne ‘did not rape’ him.
In a livestream, 13-year-old also described how he and Laverne became ‘more than friends’, which he said they realized at the same time was ‘wrong’.
Before releasing her broadcasted statement, Laverne, of Greenwood, Indiana, posted a series of other apologies to her alleged private Instagram account, Insider reported.
One of the messages stated that she was receiving therapy, and another claimed she had told Connor's mother that she'd kissed him shortly after it happened.
‘Hello.. I know that a lot of you are disappointed in me and you have every right to be,’ the message began. ‘I would like to say I’m aware of what leaked.. but conor was not raped etc.
‘Connor and I kissed yes.. never had a relationship but we did catch feelings for each other after being so close.’
She continued: ‘Before anything was leaked I did tell his mom we kissed. She wasn’t happy obviously but she understood that we are both teenagers and that feelings can be caught.’
Before releasing her broadcasted statement, Laverne, of Greenwood, Indiana, posted a series of other apologies to her private Instagram account, claiming she had told Connor's mother that she'd kissed him shortly after it happened
‘Hello.. I know that a lot of you are disappointed in me and you have every right to be,’ the message began. ‘I would like to say I’m aware of what leaked.. but conor was not raped etc'
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Laverne’s mother has also taken to social media to defend her daughter’s actions.
‘Anybody can reach over and kiss somebody. They’re best friends,’ she said during a live broadcast.
On the subject of the backlash against her daughter, she said: ‘This needs to stop you guys — why are you doing this?’
A number of prominent TikTok influencers have spoken out against Laverne in the days since the kissing video leaked.
‘Friends go to the park together, do starb runs, play among us. not fall for prepubescent minors when you're 19. you were in school already when he was being born,’ wrote Isaak Presley, who added that he himself went through a ‘traumatizing sexual thing’ aged 14 with a 19-year-old woman.
‘As a young boy you're fascinated by girls and with puberty and all the new hormones, attraction levels and interest are spiking,’ he wrote. ‘IT IS OUR JOB, as adults, as positive influences in those younger than us lives, to guide and help someone.’
Laverne’s actions come as the latest in a string of sexual-misconduct allegations against prominent TikTokers.
Laverne’s mother has also taken to social media to defend her daughter’s actions
Both Laverne and Connor have since posted videos to TikTok, attempting to make light of the scandal
Back in June, California-based film photographer Bryant Eslava apologized for soliciting nude images from ‘girls’ on his Tumblr blog.
The following month, accusations emerged that 21-year-old TikTok star Tony Lopez had sent inappropriate messages to girls as young as 15 via a private Snapchat account. He later apologized, writing that he ‘immediately stopped’ communications after learning they were underage.
Both Laverne and Connor have since posted videos to TikTok, attempting to make light of the scandal.
Just a few days ago, Connor posted a video to the app showing him walking on the spot, with the text ‘me coming back to social media acting like nothing happened’ displayed above him.
The video is no longer available to be viewed publicly and Connor has since made his official TikTok account private.
Laverne, meanwhile, posted a similar clip, titled ‘me coming back to TikTok after I get canceled for the 100th time.’
The Greenwood Police Department has not yet returned a message from DailyMail.com seeking clarity on whether they're investigating the matter.