America's Got Talent Winner Terry Fator Denies Mother's Elder Abuse Accusation

Details on the allegations against the 53-year-old ventriloquist

By Jess Cohen Jan 19, 2019 12:24 AMTags
Terry FatorEthan Miller/Getty Images

Terry Fator, the winner of America's Got Talent season two, is denying accusations of elder abuse made by his 74-year-old mother, Marie Fator Sligh.

E! News has obtained the complaint against the 53-year-old ventriloquist, filed by Marie in federal court on Jan. 16, which states that, "In a final desperate attempt to stop Defendant Terry Fator-Son's continued abuse, bullying and harassment as documented in this lawsuit, Plaintiff Marie Fator Sligh–Mother prays the court will terminate any and all parental ties and relationship she has with Defendant Terry Fator."

According to the court docs, Marie's complaint is over her son's "actions that are detrimental to the health and well-being of" Marie.
The docs also allege that Terry has used "his wealth and the legal system to defame, bully, torment, harass and intimidate Plaintif to obstruct and prevent his Mother from investigating the death of her daughter in Defendant's home; and for refusing to work with his Mother to resolve their problems privately thereby causing his elderly Mother extreme fear, humiliation, anxiety, embarrassment and financial difficulty."

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The documents state that Deborah Fator Beard, Terry's sister and Marie's daughter, was found dead in Terry Fator's Las Vegas home on June 21, 2015.

"Prior to her death, Defendant-Son had cut his sister out of his life in August 2011, refusing all contact with her until December 2014," the docs state. "On December 7, 2014, Defendant-Son called Plaintiff-Mother and said he thought it was time he re-establish a relationship with his sister and let her back in his life."

Deborah allegedly move in with Terry in May 2015.

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"Six months after reconciling, and six weeks after Defendant Terry Fator moved his sister to his Las Vegas to live with him, she is found dead in her bedroom at Defendant's home," the documents state. "After his sister's death, Defendant-Son rejected all of Plaintiff-Mother's pleas to meet with her and answer questions about what happened during the days before his sister died, and during the thirty-six (36) hours and possibly up to three (3) days that she lay dead in her bedroom."

The complaint adds, "Plaintiff-Mother had reason to be concerned about her daughter's death."

In response to the accusations in the complaint, Terry's rep tells E! News, "This is not the first time that Ms. Sligh has surfaced with these sorts of baseless and defamatory allegations against Mr. Fator in an effort to extract unwarranted financial concessions from him. In the face of similar conduct by Ms. Sligh in the past, on February 6, 2017 the District Court of Clark County Nevada entered a judgment against Ms. Sligh that included a Restraining Order prohibiting her from having any contact with Mr. Fator or appearing within 250 yards of his residence, place of business or place of employment. Mr. Fator has no intention of dignifying Ms. Sligh's latest unfounded claims with any further comment."