The president has spoken about the tragic death of Virginia Giuffre, who passed away by suicide on Friday (April 25).
During the weekend, it was revealed that Giuffre, aged 41, had died. She leaves behind three children: Christian, Noah, and Emily.
Giuffre had gained public attention after revealing her identity in a prominent case against Prince Andrew, claiming he sexually abused her three times in 2001 when she was 17. Despite Prince Andrew’s consistent denials, he eventually settled a civil sexual assault lawsuit filed by Giuffre with a multimillion-dollar payment.
She also accused Jeffrey Epstein of sex trafficking her and has been remembered posthumously as a ‘fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking’.
Her family shared the news of her death on Saturday. In a poignant statement, they expressed: “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia.
“She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors.
“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”
Donald Trump has commented on the unfortunate news of her premature death.
While speaking to reporters at a New Jersey airport, Trump remarked that the news of Giuffre’s passing was ‘a very sad situation, the whole thing’.
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EVERYTHING WE KNOW SO FAR AFTER VIRGINIA GIUFFRE DIES AGED 41
“That whole situation is very sad – her and others,” he said. “Certainly, that’s a horrible thing.”
On Monday, a spokeswoman for Western Australia Police confirmed that Giuffre’s death remains under investigation by major crime detectives, but there were no indications of suspicious circumstances.
She had recently divorced her husband, Robert, and was set to appear in court over allegations related to a breach of a family violence restraining order.
Last month, she was hospitalized after a traffic accident, which also made headlines.
The 41-year-old had claimed at the time that she had only ‘days to live’, but Australian police described the accident as ‘minor’.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.