Who Will Raise Michael Jackson's Kids?
Michael Jackson's death has shocked the world. While everyone's remembering his music and the first time they saw him moonwalk, we can't forget about his three children. Prince Michael, 12, Paris Michael Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7, are now left without the only parent they've ever known.
Jackson With Mom Katherine
Photo © Vince Bucci /
Getty Images
All three are currently with Jackson's mom, Katherine. The 79-year-old mother of 10 children with 27 grandchildren is "the logical choice" to take custody of the children, former Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman tells People.
However, a custody fight could be on the way. Prince Michael and Paris are the biological children of Debbie Rowe, Jackson's second wife.
Rowe's had very limited contact with the kids and tried to give up her parental rights in 2005. At first, the judge agreed to terminate her rights to the children but later overturned his own decision. According to TMZ.com, Rowe could legally seek custody of Prince Michael and Paris.
The youngest child, Prince Michael II, is the son of a surrogate mother Jackson allegedly never met. The European woman's identity is still unknown.
If either biological mother pursues custody, the legal battle could become nature versus nurture. Even if one woman won, the kids would be split up.
Who should raise Michael Jackson's children?
Update June 29: Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, has been granted temporary custody of all three children.
Update July 30: Katherine Jackson has been awarded permanent sole custody of all three children.
Related Coverage:
If Debbie Rowe takes the older 2, then they will have a long time with her. If the grandmother is 79, they may have to go through this again in a few years when she passes on.
But if Rowe takes the older two, then the younger boy loses both his father and his siblings–so tragic.
I agree that they should try to keep the kids together. My heart goes out to them…
but Joe Jackson should not be allowed near any children. Especially not the children of the son he abused. Joe Jackson ridiculed Michael his entire life, so much so that Jackson mutilated himself with plastic surgery and built that Neverland compound. The poor man was just shattered by his father’s abuse. How can anyone consider letting those children near Joe?
It should be Debbie Rowe. Micheal Jackson did not recieve the older two children through the blessings of adoption or a surrogate mother. These are his children with his ex-wife. Children of divorce normally go full time with their other parent when the one parent dies unless the person has an endangering defect. During Jackson’s molestation trial when Ms. Rowe started crying and admitted that Jackson’s people was preventing her from seeing her children and she was walking carefully with every word and action for the slim chance of being able to see them again the whole courtroom got quiet and Jackson looked away in both guilt and possible empathy. The memory of that televised moment sealed it for me that Debbie Rowe should get her kids now that her ex-husband is dead with visitation given to her ex in-laws who they have a strong attachment to.
I think the children should go to their nanny, Grace, who has cared for them since birth and who is young and vibrant enough to be totally involved in their childhood & teenage years. These years should not be spent performing geriatric care, as may occur if they were given to an 80 year old couple. The children have spent a lot more time with their nanny than with Michael’s parents. It is unrealistic to think that people can be the primary care givers of children when they are in their late eighties and early nineties. Continuity is important.
Face it, Ms. Jackson is to old and the children will be going through this again. If she, grandma is really thinking of the children than Reba or Jermaine should all step in to be a parent to these children. Grandma lives with them and have good help raising these children. Grandma wants it all and the glory but not looking at the true picture. Do the right thing and have the sibblings be there to carry on. Not Janet! she has no children and shows that she doesn’t even want them. Talk is cheap from her! Debbie is not a mother also, Diana Ross should step way back and NOT get envolved.PERIOD! She is a reck herslf with issues! Those kids are JACKSON’S! They need to be with a younger and unselfish person who will be a parent. Grandma, Live your life! You can’t take it with YOU! share with all the children. It’s about the kids!!!!