Senator Ted Cruz’s teenage daughter is speaking out after she was hospitalized this week for reported self-inflicted stab wounds.
Caroline Cruz, 14, took to TikTok Wednesday to address speculation regarding the self-inflicted stab wounds she reportedly sustained the day prior, which necessitated her being taken to the hospital.
“I wanted to address this on my own because the media is … causing my mental health to be exploited for their gain,” said Cruz. “I also don’t enjoy the assumptions on why I did what I did.”
The teen, who confirmed in the caption she was reading from a script, went on to dispel some conjecture.
“No, it had nothing to do with my sexuality or my father. I’m not suicidal but I am experiencing some mental issues,” she said, noting she’s “working through it and getting the help I need. Thank you so much for all the support and love, it means a lot to me. But the most traumatizing part of this experience is how public it’s been.”
While Cruz said she’s “feeling a lot better,” she asked those watching to not “make bold statements about what this is when you truly have no idea.”
Authorities on Tuesday were called to the Republican senator’s Houston home after reports of a 14-year-old with wounds on their arms.
“Thankfully, their daughter is okay,” his office said in a statement to KTRK. “There were no serious injuries.”