Death, Fighting and Children

As the world mourns the loss of Michael Jackson, the adjustment for his children will extend beyond grieving the death of their father.

My heart goes out to Paris Katherine, 11; Prince Michael Jr., 12; and Prince Michael II, 7, also known as Blanket, as they try to make sense of all that has happened in the past 24 hours of their lives. Granted, they have never lived a life as what many would delineate as normal, but the fact is their father is gone still remains.

The media is already speculating who will retain custody of the three children. Currently, they are staying with their grandmother, Katherine (Michael's mother) until things are settled.

I can't imagine the feeling of the children, wondering where they will be living in addition to their already raw emotions.

Author and family friend, Stacey Brown, told ABC News that "Michael always said he wants Grace Rwaramba, nanny, to have custody of his children if something happened to him." 

Grace has been employed by Michael in some capacity for the past 20 years.

Another contender in child custody issue is Paris and Prince Michael, Jr's biological mother, Debbie Rowe.  She is Michael's ex-wife. According to TMZ, she has a good chance of having custody of her two children; however, that would also break the three siblings apart. 

According to TMZ, Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe has the legal right to obtain custody of Paris and Michael Jr., the two children she bore for the singer. It was previously believed that Rowe gave up custody of the kids during a legal battle in 2005, and the judge at the hearing initially ruled her rights terminated. But Judge Stephen Lachs later reversed his decision.

TMZ: Here's what happened. We spoke with Lance Spiegel, the lawyer who repped Jackson at the time. Spiegel says under the law, the Department of Children and Family Services must conduct a parental fitness investigation before parental rights are terminated and that didn't happen with Rowe. So Rowe has never given up any of her parental rights. As a result, under California law, Rowe is now presumed to be the person who will get custody. The only way Rowe can be denied custody is if a court determines it would be "detrimental to the children."

I know that you will agree with me when I say whatever the outcome for Michael Jackson's children, I hope it does not become a media circus and the decision made in court will truly be in the children's best interest.

RIP Michael. You will live forever through your children and your music.

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