Jackson kids potentially in custody contract quagmire
UPDATE, 10:15a: Good blog post, “Three thoughts on Michael Jackson,” by Michael Tomasky of The Guardian.
[HT: friend Arlene]
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Yesterday two icons, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, died.
Jackson’s death, in particular, was a sobering reminder of Ecclesiastes 9:12, “Man does not know his time.”
This morning I watched a Fox News report explain that the custody of Jackson’s three children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., 12, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11 (both by ex-wife Debbie Rowe), and Prince Michael “Blanket” Jackson II, 7 (born via unknown surrogate), is up in the air.
At least three parties may try to lay claim: Jackson’s mother Katherine, Rowe, and the nanny to Jackson’s children, Grace Rwaramba (pictured below left). According to ABC News this morning:
“Michael’s mother Katherine wants the kids,” said Stacey Brown, co- author of Michael Jackson Behind the Mask and an old family friend. “But Michael always said he wants Grace, the nanny, to have them if something happened to him.”…
Grace, is Grace Rwaramba, 42, who has worked for Jackson for nearly two decades, starting as an office assistant who handled insurance for his employees.
Over time, observers say Rwaramba has taken an increasingly central role in the lives of Jackson and his children. The two were rumored to be considering marriage in 2006.
Typically, children in a tragic case as this would go to their mother, reported the Fox News analyst. But in these days of in-vitro fertilization, frozen embryos, and surrogacy, she said the law has become clear that caregivers are granted custody based on contractual agreements.
It has never been clear whether Michael was the biological father of any of his children. They may have all been conceived, born, and granted fatherhood to him by contract.
Apparently, Rowe “is not legally in line to take custody,” according to EURweb.com, because she signed rights over to Jackson twice, once when they were divorced in 1999, and again in 2006 after she sued for custody following allegations Jackson sexually abused a boy. At that time she reportedly settled in return for $500k+ a year.
This is just one more reminder when we deviate from God’s principles. Quagmires result.
And there were too many deviations here to count. Such a tragedy.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
I sincerely hope Jackson’s parents do not get custody. I believe that Jackson’s father destroyed his soul when he was still a child by vicious beatings and years of emotional abuse, and apparently Jackson’s mother let it happen. If I recall correctly Jackson was estranged from his parents due to that history and I cannot imagine that he would want his children in the care of those who caused him so much torment.
Of course, I think that the circumstances by which Jackson obtained his children were remarkably creepy. Given all the indications of pedophilia and preying on children in his behavior, it seemed like he was basically buying children for purposes of exploitation. (Maybe not, but it sure seemed like it.)
Of course, there are also plenty of parents who obtain their children the traditional way and also molest, abuse, and exploit them.
Also, should have clarified to say that I would worry that Jackson’s parents would be abusive towards the children.
Prochoicer, we agree. Nice… :)
You know, I want to say that these kids belong with their mom, Debbie Rowe (well, at least the older two), but I can’t bring myself to say it. She turned them over to him years ago for a payoff…
I just don’t know that she’d be a very fit parent, with her track record of selling off her kids. :(
This is a horrible situation and I hope it is resolved in the best interest of those kids. Michael never seemed to have any peace, so I hope his children will be able to find it.
I was thinking the same thing, Jill!
there is a legal concept for a non-biological but very involved parental figure to be awarded parental custody – it has mainly risen and been used in cases where a stepparent functioned in all ways as a complete entire normal parent, and the spouse dies, and the other bio parent would biologically get custody, but has had little role in being the parent. i can’t remember the term. i believe part of the issue involves whether the child perceives the now-widowed stepparent as a “parent” and does not perceive the surviving bio parent as the “parent.” you can’t state in your will that whomever gets to be parent upon your death – we all might put bill gates so our child would be rich – that would be one way to leave an inheritance to your children’s children. the nanny ‘Grace’ could be granted parental custody under this principle. [this principle might have to be invoked to establish MJ as the parent of any of the three kids if paternity testing establishes that, sure enough, the suspicions that he is not the bio dad turn out to be true.]
i came across this legal principal recently when exploring the issue, covered at this website, regarding who might legally be able to make decisions on behalf of the not-yet-born – if the not-yet-born baby has personhood, it has certain legal rights, and thus might be protected from a mom seeking to abort the baby, if only there is someone to act on behalf of the baby who is currently unable to act on his or her own behalf, similar to someone in a coma – if a mom was judged to have conflict or to be abusive, as in a child-abuse case, the state could act ‘in loco parentis’ or ‘in parens patriae’ on behalf of the child, protecting the child from the mom -if the mom wanted to abort for example.
complicated enough yet? these legal assignment of parental governance issues apply in some cases for people with mental retardation – or at least for those with MR fortunate enough to be born!
what a brave, new world we live in!
“Prochoicer, we agree. Nice… :) ”
“I was thinking the same thing, Jill!”
Who would have thought that when Obama talks about “common ground”, he was referring to Michael Jackson? :)
I am sure his victims are rushing out to buy M J pedophilia memorabilia.
Of all the pedophiles I am aware of M J is certainly the quirkiest and he is also the best singer and dancer.
(If there are any pedophiles out there who believe they are better singers and dancers than the dearly departed M J, then please raise your hand.
We will take your word for it on the pedophilia, but you are going to have to demonstrate you can sing and dance, and produce some platinum albums.)
Children do not talk to people who are ‘strange’, who wear only one glove and grope their own groin in public no matter how many giraffes they own.
yor bro ken
I have to admit… I think it sounds as if the most stable situation for the children would be their nanny.
the latest I’ve heard from TMZ is that Rowe did not give up custody and would be given full custody.
A judge refused her wish to refuse custodial rights. So she would stand to receive substantial payments from the Jackson estate.
I think it would be best to give these kids an appointed laywer who would be able to evaluate who would best be fit for full time custody of the kids. I also think that if there is a mother involved that they should be first for consideration for full time, but then again…..this whole situation with him paying off the mother of his kids and getting surrogant mothers is all odd and boggles my mind.
I actually hope they’d be placed in a loving home with two parents who can nurture them. The next choice would be the nanny considering the circumstances.
Its very true that his father abused him. He wrote a song about a pet rat he had that he named Ben. (I USED to be a fan of his music when I was like 7.) MTV actually took a break from their reality-programs-that-don’t-have-anything-to-do-with-MUSIC to do a tribute to him. ‘Thriller’ video was on this morning.
And why would he nickname his child “Blanket”? That’s a bit strange to me.
Of all the pedophiles I am aware of M J is certainly the quirkiest and he is also the best singer and dancer.
I thought he was acquitted.
I believe the children should be with his mother Katherine. Michael and his father worked out his differences. There was still love there. Rowe only wants money, she has never loved the children. Just pray that the best thing will be done for the children.
i think the children should be with Michael’s parents, because they have been with Michael mostly all of there lives and their mother hasnt. So even though she’s their mother why should she get custody of them instead of two people that are surely more qualified to take better care of them.
i think the children should be with Michael’s parents, because they have been with Michael mostly all of there lives and their mother hasnt. So even though she’s their mother why should she get custody of them instead of two people that are surely more qualified to take better care of them.
God, I can’t believe I’m posting here again… I swore I never would again.
#1. Michael was aquitted of all charges kbhvac.
#2. Personally I think that someone should ask the kids who they want to be with, but that would be to obvious of a thing to do. Debbie doesn’t seem like a good choice to me, Michael’s mother might be but who knows what kind of relationship they have with her, and the nanny seems like the best choice because of her close relationship with them already (i.e a mother figure all their lives) and the fact that Mike and her had such a close relationship is a plus. And I think it’s idiotic to think that putting them in a family with two parents will automatically make things all good for them. They should be with the person/people they feel most at home with…
#3 Blanket is a nickname that comes out of a saying. I always forget exactly what it is. Something about blanketing people in love or goodness.
Tbh Michael most def wasn’t the biological father to any of the children-you only have to look at them to see that-it doesn’t take rocket science and def doesn’t need a d.n.a test either.
Michael Jackson’s skin was white because he had a rare skin condition called vitiligo. Please don’t insult my intelligence by saying all of his kids had the same thing!!
The children should go to their mothers (maybe even their REAL fathers).
I feel like the mother of Jackson’s two children should not get custody of them because of the known history of signing her rights away for money. Any mother who does this does not truly care about her children and the children need to be with someone who will love them and cherish them and feel them more valuable than any dollar amount. Whether this be Katherine or the nanny, that isn’t for me to say. The children should have a say but I also think that the children should be able to have the Nanny and their fathers family in their lives as a constant.
I know this really isn’t pertinent to the situation but whether Michael had vitiligo to begin with or not, I thought it should be made clear that vitiligo does not cause a persons skin to turn white. It does, however, cause depigmentation in patches of the skin. So if this was the case then yes he also underwent skin bleaching.
MJ dad is the one started him in the music world. He knew his kids had a gift. I am not going to talk about MJ or his dad, because we do not know the full story. But we do know his kids got started by their Father. MJ mother have you heard anything about her having to work? She stayed at home to take care of her kids. How do you think she was able to stay home? Her husband was the working husband and father (the man) of the house. MJ gave Debbie Rowe I think about $8.5 million dollars, and put her in a very nice home, she had dogs swimming in the pool. The kids do not need to hear this negative talk. They loved their Father and he loved them. MJ was found not guilty And the earlier case against him his insurance people paid that money not him. He did not know about the payoff until it had been paid. He was very mad about it. Why would your insurance settle with this for $21 million behind his back? MJ had alot of people in his life that took him for granted. Believe me he knew it and this hurt him. MJ had Lupas (they say it is like cancer) which is very painful. If he was doing all the drugs for pain, it was for his fans he did not want to let anyone down. He gave to the poor and even after his death he will still be giving more than any of us every will give. He saw no color. If you want to talk lets talk about the people that was around him just for money. To make a person be in your control get him addicted to pain killers. The same thing happen with Anna Nichole. Howard Stern kept her high for his advantage. She always blamed him for her sons death. MJ leaves three beautiful kids and instaed of hurting them more, lets help them not get with ones that is there for the money. The Jackson Family is not hurting for any money. They need those kids just as much as those kids need them. I know it is some that do not like MJ so be it, but leave the kids be. For those that love MJ lets support this family in anyway we can espeially with our love and prayers. The Jackson family have lost a love one and they are hurting real bad. Lets not tear them down with our ugly remarks. They are going to have so many coming trying to get money. I do admire that MJ did have some on his side because he is not broke and his sponser did say that he was not in debt as much as they are saying. And his debts should be paid off I think in about three months. We must think who was renting the home to MJ for $100,000.00 a month when their homes of this kind for $25,000.00. So many are talking now his cook, the nanny,and so many more they are just out for money. I do not care how I fell about someone I would not open my mouth about anything bad because we all have bad in us. But MJ never hurt anyone. All he wanted to do is save everyone, and help the needed. There is not another Celebrity that have gave as much as MJ and will never give. He even thought about the charities in his will. 20% is a lot because the ones that was helping him go broke is not there anymore. His Dr. and the pharmacy can’t charge him for things he did not order and most of all he is not in pain anymore and he has stop having a broken heart. I do not think he got over that last trial. When you have Lupas or Cancer who can fight it when you have strenght but when you are weak it is so hard. I think this tour was going to remove some people out of his life and when they so that he was able to do the entire show during the practice. He was coming back and someone was helping get his strength back.Stopping so many procedures that some doctors was doing to gain money. He was happy again because he was back on stage. He was going to be with his fans again. He would be back to what he loves doing the most. To see the Fans buy the shows out showed the world had not forgotten about him and this made someone unhappy because the MJ we knew was going to make full come back and some knew they would not like this because they knew they could no longer control him. So watch out for those that are so freely telling about things happen in the house, about drugs, about how he spent money or what ever. Since MJ death we have learned so many great things he did that we did not know. I only wish we knew this befor he lefted us. To show we love MJ lets support his kids, and family with all of our love and prayers. Lets support them for MJ. Lets protect the kids and his family from people that see $$$ signs. They do have a heart and they are human and they also hurt and bleed just as all of us. MJ head was burned bad when he was doing the Pepsi thing. It sounds like the doctor that was handling that procedure was always taking more tissue out until Dr.King talked to MJ he did not need his tissue in head to keep being remove I think that is how he said it. Because the Lupas was already taking his hair out plus that bad burned. The Dr. that was doing his face just kept doing and doing and messed his nose up, but if you look his nose had been rebuilt and around his cheeks also. So that put that Dr, out of his life. It sounds like instaed of doing the procedures correctly so much was being done just for money but mess his face up. Now this what Dr. King was saying and I do believe him. I have a friend that have what MJ had and her skin is turning white and just as Dr. King said instead of trying to make the skin dark again it was better to lighten up the dark spots. Her hair came out also. But you know what she do everday is visit the nursing home to give them comfort. We did not know all of this about MJ and we did not have to know this and still love him. But MJ went through alot. Yeah I cried and I will continue to cry because I feel we did not support MJ enough because of the Media and they still want let him rest in peace. Lets love each other no matter what and when a friend need us be there whether they are right or wrong we can still be there. We might be in MJ and other shoes one day. But Jesus will be there all of the time. We love you MJ.
MJ RIP
God Please bless his family and take care of them. Please build a fence around them Jesus and keep them wrapped in your arms. In your name Jesus Amen