Tragic Details About Cyndi Lauper's Only Child

The following article contains references to sexual violence and drug use.

With her bold, flamboyant style, Cyndi Lauper was a true '80s icon to her millions of fans, but when she wasn't being a girl who just wanted to have fun, Lauper was busy being a mom to her son Declyn. 

Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper is the only child born to Lauper and her husband, actor David Thornton. In his younger years, he was largely out of the limelight, but as he grew up, Declyn — or "Dex" as he is known in the music world — began making his own headlines as a rap artist and a troubled young man who has had multiple run-ins with the law. His is not the only cautionary tale of celebrity offspring. There are many children of celebrities who struggle to find their way out from under the shadow of a famous parent, which sometimes results in destructive behavior.

"We see lots of children of celebrities having substance abuse problems, anger management problems, eating problems — it really runs the gamut of mental health issues," child psychologist Stephen Gray Wallace, told USA Today. "I think it's a challenge both for young people who are famous in their own right, and those who are the children of famous parents."

Having a celebrity for a parent may sound like a dream come true, but the reality can be more like a nightmare. Sure, there are the perks like luxurious homes, fancy cars, and invitations to all the hottest parties and events, but there is a less glamorous side that includes sharing your parents with the world. Concert tours, movie locations, and more can take celebrity parents away from their children for long periods of time. When they are home, a simple shopping trip or family dinner at a neighborhood restaurant can turn into a media circus.

At a young age, Declyn Lauper realized that his mom was famous after she was approached by an avid fan. "Declyn said afterwards, 'Who are you?' And I said, 'I'm a mommy.' And he said, 'No, you're not — you're Cyndi Lauper,'" the singer told The Guardian. "It's hard for him," she continued. "People look at him and he feels the pressure of being my son." 

Like many working moms, Lauper had a nanny who, along with Declyn's father, took good care of him while she was away. But that didn't ease the pain of missing out on parts of Declyn's life. Lauper told Vanity Fair that she tried taking him on the road occasionally, but it wasn't an ideal situation. "I took my son on tour sometimes, but he needed his own space," she said. 

In recent years, children of celebrities who follow the road paved by a famous parent (or two) have been labeled "nepo babies," with the implication being that their success is the result of who they know versus any actual talent. As a result, some celebrity kids feel like they have to work a little extra hard to prove themselves. Others take a different exit along the same highway, as was the case with Declyn Lauper who, rather than follow in his mom Cyndi Lauper's pop music path, took a less mainstream approach by trying his hand as a rapper. 

Declyn, who records his music under the name Dex Lauper, has recorded with industry heavy hitters including G-Eazy, and Trippie Redd, but his work has not earned him the same level of acclaim that his mother received. However, that doesn't keep his mom from being proud of her son's efforts. "It's more underground," she told Vanity Fair about Lauper's music. "He's on SoundCloud and he's a terrific artist." For his part, Lauper told TMZ that music was something that brought him closer to his mother and bound them together. "Me and my mom was kinda split up when I was a kid, but we reconnected through music, which was kinda beautiful," he said. 

When you think about celebrities and the seemingly glamorous lives they lead, it's hard to fathom why anyone who grew up around so much excess would resort to stealing a vehicle, but that's exactly what Declyn Lauper was charged with doing. Following the New York City memorial service of fellow aspiring rapper Ethan Reyes (aka Notti Osama), Lauper was found by police sitting in a double parked, stolen Mercedez Benz. The only son of pop superstar Cyndi Lauper claimed that he was just sitting in the vehicle, according to court documented obtained by the New York Post. Nevertheless, he was ordered to appear in criminal court for the unauthorized use of a vehicle in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.

Lauper, who faced up to one year of jail time if convicted, pled guilty to disorderly conduct instead, which earned him a mere five days of private community service and a warning to keep his nose clean for 12 months. Following his court appearance, Lauper told the New York Post, "It's definitely a blessing the case is over." He then got into a chauffeured SUV where he was spotted clearly lighting up a joint.

While that particular case may have ended, it was just the beginning of what would turn out to be a string of arrests and run-ins with the law that would land Lauper in the headlines. 

Was it a case of bad timing, or bad behavior? That was the question when Declyn Lauper was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon following a shooting incident in Harlem. His $20,000 bail was paid in cash by his father, actor David Thornton. According to the criminal complaint obtained by the New York Daily News, the son of '80s pop princess Cyndi Lauper was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a firearm after police found a loaded gun in his fanny pack and determined that there was "intent to use it unlawfully against another." 

Although his bail was originally set at $50,000 cash, Lauper's attorney, Stephen Brill, explained that his client had been working with a life coach to try and clean up his act. "My point of bringing that out is that you have another layer of supervision that he's privately engaged to have him seen and be there for him given when he's released during the pendency with this case," Brill said, as reported by the New York Post. He also claimed that his client was "truly in the wrong place at the wrong time." Although his father was there with the cash to bail him out, Lauper's mother was nowhere to be seen. Following his release, the rapper once again seemed unfazed by the events. He reportedly stood in the street and declared, "The king of New York is on bail." 

Celebrities are not above relying on their fame to get them into the trendiest restaurants, hottest nightclubs, and A-list parties. They are also not above playing the celebrity card to try to get out of trouble. Who can forget Reese Witherspoon infamously telling an officer, "You're about to find out who I am" as she and then-husband Jim Toth were getting arrested in Atlanta? Declyn Lauper might not be famous enough to rely on his own name to get himself out of a tricky situation, but he knows how to use his mom's name to try to game the system.

Not once but twice, the singer's only son dropped her name to police during an arrest. Assistant District Attorney Katelyn Colman revealed in court that Declyn told officers, "I'm an artist, you probably know who I am. My mother's Cyndi Lauper," as police questioned him regarding a stolen car (via New York Post). He threw her name out again as he was being arrested in conjunction with a shooting in Harlem. According to court documents obtained by the New York Post, Lauper asked police to call his mom, allegedly telling a detective, "I grew up, my mom is Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want to Have Fun." Either the officers weren't fans or they just didn't care because Lauper was still taken in and charged in both cases. Considering his father, David Thornton, was on "Law & Order," maybe he should've dropped his name instead. 

Trouble just seems to follow some people, and Declyn Lauper is one of them. Following his two arrests, the aspiring rap artist once again found himself being charged with a crime. This time there were no stolen cars or guns. Instead, Lauper was charged with sexual assault by a former girlfriend, a New York insurance broker with whom he had an on-again, off-again relationship for several months. According to the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, Lauper got rough with her as he forced her to perform a sex act. In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, the woman said, "After the assault, that's when I went into a panic." She added, "I felt like my life was really in danger at that point." 

The assault occurred at Lauper's apartment, and according to court documents there was a struggle that ended when Lauper heard something "pop" as he was pushing down on the woman's head and spine. The documents go on to state that Lauper tried to apologize and made attempts to see the woman again, to no avail. "It was the point of no return," she told the New York Post. She referred to the experience as "horrific" and said she didn't come forward with the story when it happened because "I felt powerless at the time." Later, she realized she wanted to prevent anyone else from going through what she endured and filed the lawsuit. "People may need to be warned about this guy," she said.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

When a nurse tried to administer IV therapy to Declyn Lauper in his New York City apartment, it quickly turned into a prickly situation. The nurse, Ruzdija Basuljevic, claimed that the rapper "began to behave in an erratic and aggressive manner" before threatening to shoot him in the head. 

According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Lauper told the nurse, "I am going to grab my nine and shoot you. You better leave now." Basuljevic ended up suing Lauper for $2.5 million in damages, claiming that the experience was so traumatic that he was "unable to work for several months based on the debilitating fear and anxiety that resulted."

Lauper fought back, countersuing the nurse's employer, The I.V. Medical Doctor. He claimed that he requested a specific nurse, but Basuljevic was the one who showed up. He also claimed that Basuljevic was unable to locate his vein which resulted in several painful, failed attempts. "After experiencing the severe pain, fear, and anxiety associated with [Ruzdija's] failed attempts to administer the I.V., [Declyn] ultimately requested that [Ruzdija] cease the therapy and leave his residence," the documents stated. The documents also went on to detail Lauper's "fear of needles."

New York may be the city that never sleeps, but that doesn't mean its residents want to be kept awake by bad neighbors. Ever since moving into his luxurious $7,200-per-month digs in New York's swanky Financial District, Declyn Lauper has allegedly been disturbing the peace of his neighbors. 

According to a New York City Civil Court filing obtained by the New York Post, Lauper's landlord petitioned for an eviction notice due to Lauper's loud music, screaming, and the permeating smell of cigarettes and marijuana, which violates the buildings no-smoking policy. His erratic and aggressive behavior has resulted in his neighbors becoming fearful. The filing states that one resident "advised the yelling, shouting and/or screaming sounded very aggressive in nature and was filled with explicit language and threats of bodily harm." Another said she was "scared for her safety because of the constant yelling and noise." 

They may have reason to be afraid. After confronting Lauper about his behavior, one resident found a bullet near his apartment and moved out. On another occasion, according to the filing, Lauper allegedly made threats against management that included physical violence — all while "holding a marijuana blunt and looking visually inebriated." Although Lauper's attorney, Darryl Vernon, said they are trying to work it out, it sounds like the rapper may need to start looking for a new place to call home.