By Connor Stringer and Iona Cleave
London: Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, who accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her as a teenager, has claimed that she is dying after being hit by a school bus.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, the 41-year-old shared a picture from a hospital bed, showing bruises on her face. In the caption, she said a speeding bus had collided with her car, and that doctors had told her she had four days to live.
Giuffre used the post to express the wish to see her three children, from whom she is believed to be estranged.
“I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes.”
It is unclear where and when the apparent crash happened.
Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s father, told the London Telegraph his daughter was depressed and wanted to be reunited with her children.
“She’s not doing good. She’s depressed because she misses her kids,” the retired engineer added. “She’s got four days unless she gets another opinion from another doctor.
Prince Andrew settled a multimillion-pound lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre.Credit: AP, BBC
“It could be that she could pass away in four days, like she said. But if she gets another doctor, they could probably do other things for her. So that’s all I’m waiting to hear.”
Roberts said he was trying to “stay strong” for his daughter, whose last known address was with her estranged husband in Western Australia.
“It’s terrible, I want to cry and everything else, but I want to stay strong for her just in case she needs something. Then I’ll be there for her,” he said from his home in Florida.
Asked when and where the accident took place and what hospital Giuffre was at, a spokesman said: “Virginia has been in a serious accident and is receiving medical care in the hospital. She greatly appreciates the support and well wishes people are sending.”
When contacted, WA police said: “We have not been able to locate a crash involving a bus and car that occurred in the last few weeks. We are unable to search details relating to a person’s name. Without a specific date or location of the alleged crash, we are unable to assist.”
US-born Giuffre had recently separated from Robert Giuffre, her husband of 22 years, and had been living in North Perth.
She finished her post: “S--- in one hand and wish in the other & I guarantee it’s still going to be s--- at the end of the day. Thank you all for being the wonderful people of the world and for being a great part of my life.”
Giuffre alleged that she was sexually abused or raped by Prince Andrew on three separate occasions in 2001 when she was 17. She had sued him for unspecified damages.
The case was settled by Andrew, who allegedly paid his accuser more than £12 million ($24 million) using money from the Queen.
The terms of the deal have remained secret, but at the time Andrew expressed regret about his friendship with Epstein and confirmed that he would make a “substantial donation” to Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights. It contained no admission of liability and no apology.
Andrew has always vehemently denied the allegations, insisting he has “no recollection” of meeting Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein.
The Telegraph, London