Did Janet Jackson Secretly Give Away a Baby? The James DeBarge Confession and a Decades-Long Mystery

For decades, rumors have swirled around Janet Jackson and her short-lived marriage to James DeBarge. At the heart of the intrigue is an alleged secret baby the couple supposedly had in the 1980s—a child Janet was pressured to give up to protect her rising career.

Now, the story is resurfacing, with James DeBarge and his family insisting the baby was real, while Janet continues to deny it.

Janet Jackson married James DeBarge in 1984 when she was just 18, seeking both love and an escape from her strict father, Joe Jackson. Their marriage was chaotic and short, plagued by James’ struggles with substance abuse.

Janet has described herself more as a caretaker than a wife, recounting stories of wrestling pills away from James and picking him up from dangerous situations.

But the real storm was the rumor that Janet became pregnant during their marriage. Some say she lost the baby, others claim she secretly gave it away. Janet has always denied the existence of a child, calling the rumors baseless.

Still, stories from people close to the DeBarge family—and even some old photos—have fueled speculation for years.

Fans and insiders have claimed to see Janet looking visibly pregnant in the 1980s, even suggesting her family tried to hide her baby bump during public appearances.

James DeBarge has been the most vocal supporter of the secret baby theory. He first mentioned it in a 2012 letter from prison and has stuck to his story ever since. He claims the child was hidden from him and that he’s spent years searching for answers.

His daughter, Kristinia DeBarge, has also said she believes she has a secret half-sister out there, citing family whispers and her own intuition.

The rumors only intensified when women claiming to be Janet’s daughter came forward. One, Tiffany White, even took a DNA test with James’ mother. The results proved she was not related, but James remains convinced the real child is still out there.

Other wild theories have circulated, including claims that Janet’s sister Rebbie or other Jackson relatives secretly raised the child, or that adopted members of the Jackson family were actually Janet’s biological children. None of these rumors have ever been substantiated.

Janet addressed the speculation in her documentary, explaining that weight gain from birth control pills led to the pregnancy rumors while she was filming the TV show “Fame.”

She insisted there was no secret child and that her father would never have allowed such a secret to remain hidden.

Despite Janet’s denials, the DeBarge family, including James’ sister Bunny and brother Daryl, continue to claim they saw Janet pregnant and that the child’s disappearance is evidence of a cover-up. Some speculate that Janet may have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth and simply never wanted to discuss it publicly.

To this day, the mystery remains unsolved, with Janet standing by her denials and the DeBarge family holding onto their belief.

Whether it was a tragic loss, a cover-up, or simply a rumor that spiraled out of control, the truth behind Janet Jackson’s alleged secret baby continues to fascinate and divide fans.