Community Corner
Investigator to Probe Welfare of Michael Jackson's Kids
The mother and nephew of the late pop star have been assigned joint oversight of his three children.
A Los Angeles judge on Friday ordered authorities to determine if the three minor children of Michael Jackson are receiving appropriate care.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed probate investigator Cary Ornelas to look into the status of the siblings -- Prince, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10.
"The court orders that Ms. Ornelas have direct access to the children and authorizes Ms. Ornelas to interview the children at their school on an unannounced basis,'' the order states.
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Ornelas was ordered to prepare a report for Beckloff and not give it to any of the parties.
The late pop star's mother, Katherine Jackson, had been the guardian of the children until Wednesday when Beckloff suspended her guardianship following her still-unexplained disappearance.
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The judge appointed Michael Jackson's nephew, TJ Jackson, to be temporary guardian. TJ Jackson Friday filed a petition to be the children's permanent guardian.
"The minor children are very attached to the proposed guardian, who has been very involved in their lives since the death of their father,'' his court papers state. "Recent events have highlighted the need for continuity for the minor children.''
Under a proposed guardianship change announced Friday by Katherine Jackson's attorney, Perry Sanders, the 82-year-old Katherine Jackson would share oversight of the children with TJ.
The arrangement is expected to be presented to Beckloff next week. TJ Jackson, 34, told Beckloff during the hearing that he spoke Tuesday to Katherine Jackson, who has apparently been in Arizona, allegedly under doctor's orders.
TJ Jackson said she was talking strangely.
Katherine Jackson has since returned to her Calabasas home.