Justin Bieber 'Thanks God' for Selena Gomez Amid 'Baby Mama' Drama With Maria Yeater
Amid rumors that teen pop sensations Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are ending their relationship over allegations that Bieber fathered the 4-month-old child of Mariah Yeater, a recent posting by Bieber on Instagram suggests the couple is still going strong.
Bieber, who is currently in Paris to promote his new holiday album "Under the Mistletoe" with Gomez, posted a picture of what appears to be their feet entwined together while sitting in front of a Christmas tree, with a caption to the side that read "Thank God above for my very own Christmas love."
Yeater, who is asking Bieber to take a paternity test and pay child support, claims the 4-month-old child was conceived in a brief sexual encounter after the pop star's concert in Oct. 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Yeater had a front row seat and claims a security guard approached her asking if she would like to meet the star, and soon after meeting backstage, Bieber lost his virginity to the then 19-year-old woman in a bathroom.
The pop star's legal team has vehemently denied the claims, and on NBC's "Today," Bieber told news anchor Matt Lauer that he does not know Mariah Yeater and has never met her. He also said that because of his fame he will always be a "target" but he will never be a "victim."
Yeater could land herself in hot water whether or not the allegations are true. An investigation has been launched into the alleged sexual encounter, and if found to be true, Yeater could face up to a year in prison on a misdemeanor charge of statutory rape, as California law prohibits an adult from having sex with anyone under the age of 18, as Bieber was 16 when the alleged incident occurred.
In addition, if the allegations are proven to be false, Bieber's legal team has said it would sue Yeater for defamation.