The 19-year-old TikTok star who kissed her 13-year-old fan commented 'I miss you' on his livestream

Kat TenbargeNov 10, 2020, 04:27 IST

Insider

Laverne has previously announced hospital visits during controversies.Instagram/@zoexlaverne

Zoe LaVerne, a controversial 19-year-old TikTok star, recently fled the internet after videos that appeared to show her kissing a 13-year-old fan were leaked.
LaVerne apologized for "catching feelings" for the 13-year-old — who goes by Connor Joyce on TikTok, where he has over 400,000 followers — and denied that she was grooming him.
After posting on November 2 that she'd check herself into a hospital, LaVerne returned to social media, posting a TikTok about Connor and commenting "I miss you" on his livestream.

The embattled 19-year-old TikTok star Zoe LaVerne is back online, and she's already causing more controversy.

LaVerne, who has more than 17.5 million TikTok followers, was seen commenting on posts from the 13-year-old fan she appeared to kiss in a video.

LaVerne announced on November 2 on a private account that she would check herself "into a hospital" after leaked videos appeared to show her kissing a 13-year-old fan. Before she stopped posting, LaVerne apologized for kissing and for "catching feelings" for the 13-year-old, who goes by Connor Joyce on TikTok, where he has over 400,000 followers.

LaVerne also denied that she had raped Connor or that she was grooming him. "Grooming" refers to building "a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person" in order to "manipulate, exploit and abuse them," according to the UK's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Though LaVerne said she had stopped talking to Connor, she joined Connor's live Instagram broadcast on Sunday from her verified account and commented "Hi connor.. i miss you" and "I hope you're doing well. Miss you lots!"

Connor didn't respond to LaVerne, but he deactivated his Instagram account the day after screenshots of LaVerne's comments circulated on TikTok gossip pages.

LaVerne also posted a TikTok on Monday with the Coldplay song "Yellow," which has lyrics about being so devoted to someone that you would do anything for them. In the video, which LaVerne captioned "My happiness and two of them are gone," she included two pictures of herself with Connor.

LaVerne has said that she and Connor were never in a relationship. LaVerne also said she told Connor's mother about their kiss, writing that "she wasn't happy obviously but she understood that we are both teenagers and that feelings can be caught."

LaVerne's mother has defended the kissing video. "Anybody can reach over and kiss somebody. They're best friends," her mother said.

But LaVerne's former best friend Amber Van Pelt described the interactions between LaVerne and Connor as "pedophilia," writing in leaked direct messages with LaVerne's ex-boyfriend Cody Orlove that she "left because of her interactions with" Connor.

"They got very intense and it's something I do not stand by what so ever," Van Pelt said. "It's pedophilia."

Other TikTokers have criticized LaVerne, with one top comment suggesting she leave TikTok permanently and "check herself into jail." A rumor that LaVerne had been arrested was shared widely after a prank news site posted the false claim, but LaVerne has not been arrested or charged.

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The 19-year-old TikTok star who kissed her 13-year-old fan commented 'I miss you' on his livestream