Katherine Jackson is alive and seemingly well, but also rather upset by the lies she says are circulating about her and her family.
"I am here today to let everybody know that I am fine and I am here with my children, and my children would never do a thing to me like that, holding me against my will. It's very stupid for people to think that," the Jackson family matriarch said in a taped statement to ABC News. Rebbie, Randy and Janet Jackson were by her side.
But while she was at Miraval Arizona Report and Spa in Tuscon for some R&R, one of her grandsons secured temporary custody of Michael Jackson's children, who have been in Katherine's care since the singer's death in 2009.
A who's who guide to the Jackson family feud
Their grandmother is "devastated"â€"and, she says, headed home ASAP.
"Before I left...I put everything in order with the appropriate people to take care of my children for me and it's really bad to hear that what's going on at home, and the children have been taken awayâ€"but I know that...I'll get there in time to get them back. And after I finish this, I will be on my way home."
She says that some of her children brought her to Miraval for some much-needed rest.
Marlon Jackson breaks down talking about family issues
"I had a very good time hereâ€"and if anyone wants to rest I think they should come here," the 82-year-old mother of eight surviving children.
"Because there's a lot of lies that have been put out there and I am going home to straighten them out and this kind of stuff doesn't make sense. So I want to say goodbye and I am on my way home."
Rebbie, Randy, Janet, Jermaine and Tito Jackson penned a letter last week to the executors of Michael's estate, accusing them of fraudulently placing themselves in control by way of a fake will and demanding that they resign.
Could Katherine Jackson lose custody for good?
Tito has since retracted his signature from the letter, just as his 34-year-old son T.J. was successfully petitioning to be temporary guardian to Michael's kids, 15-year-old Prince, 14-year-old Paris and 10-year-old Blanket.
Katherine says that she left the kids with T.J. and a full staff, including nannies, housekeepers and a cook, and that someone in the house inexplicably sent all of the employees away.
"I don't know who did that but they don't have that power and they shouldn't have done it," she continued. "And now, the people are saying [the kids] are there with nothing to eat. I am sure they have something to eat but it's probably not healthy because the cook is not there.
Katherine's lawyer claims sibling conspiracy
"But since I have also been away, my guardianship, which I just said, my children, have been taken away from me, my guardianship has been taken away from me...I spoke to my grandson TJ and also I spoke to Prince and Paris last night and told him I would be home today and they're waiting for me to come."
Katherine says she didn't call anybody from Arizona because she gave up her phone when she arrived, not wanting to make or receive calls while she was resting. Her assistant, Janice Smith, had been touching base with T.J. over the phone to make sure everything was OK at home, she added.
She says she thinks that today's court ruling "was based on a bunch of lies, but I have a good idea who's doing that and who's behind that."
CBS remains off the hook for Janet Jackson's 2004 wardrobe malfunction
T.J., who is now also the recepient of the $86,000 in monthly child support payments Katherine was receiving from Michael's estate, is petitioning to be his cousins' permanent guardian.
His lawyer said in court today that his client was worried for Katherine's well-being and didn't trust the aunts and uncles who had whisked her away to Arizona.
"The kids love T.J. and trust him. This is good news," a source close to the situation told E! News today. "T.J. didn't step in to remove her. He stepped in because she is not there. He is extremely tight for his grandmother."
No comments:
Post a Comment