Exclusive: Katherine Jackson 'Devastated,' Court Hearing 'Based on a Bunch of Lies'
Michael Jackson's mom "devastated" by losing guardianship of his kids.
July 25, 2012 -- Michael Jackson's mother is "devastated" his children have been "taken away" from her while she was vacationing in Arizona and she's returning to Los Angeles to be reunited with them today, she told ABC News exclusively.
"I am devastated that while I've been away, my grandchildren have been taken away from me, and I'm coming home," Katherine Jackson said.
Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT
Speaking to ABC News from the Miraval Arizona Report & Spa in Tucson, Ariz., where the 82-year-old Jackson family matriarch had been resting for at least a week, Katherine Jackson also addressed the uncertainty concerning her whereabouts.
Katherine Jackson is the guardian of her late son Michael Jackson's children -- Paris Michael, Prince Michael, and Prince Michael II -- but prior to Tuesday night, they had not heard from her in days. In the meantime, there are reports of disputes among Jackson family members at Katherine Jackson's Calabasas, Calif., home.
RELATED: Who Are the Players in the Jackson Family Feud?
"There are rumors going around about me that I have been kidnapped and held against my will," Katherine Jackson said. "I am here today to let everybody to know that I am fine."
"My children would never do a thing to me like that, holding me against my will," she added. "It's very stupid for people to think that."
At Katherine Jackson's side during the taped statement, which she read from a paper, were her children Rebbie, Jermaine and Janet Jackson. Also sitting next to her was Rebbie Jackson's daughter, Stacy, and a representative from the resort.
While reading the statement, Katherine broke off a couple of times and family members helped her find her place.
ABC News was not allowed to ask the family questions.
RELATED: TJ Jackson Named Temporary Guardian of MJ's Kids
Katherine Jackson said a court ruling today that made TJ Jackson -- the son of Michael Jackson's brother, Tito Jackson, and grandson of Katherine Jackson -- the temporary guardian of Michael Jackson's children was "based on a bunch of lies."
She said her stay in Arizona at the Miraval was a "short vacation and rest."
"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," she said.
As for not calling her grandchildren for days, Katherine Jackson said, "One reason I didn't call is I just gave up my phone and I didn't want to have any phone calls while I was here."
Katherine Jackson's son Randy said in an earlier interview that his sister, Rebbie, was with their mother at the resort and kept her cell phone with her. He said Michael Jackson's children knew they could call their Aunt Rebbie's phone to reach the group at any time.
Click to the next page to read Katherine Jackson's full statement to ABC News.
Transcript of Katherine Jackson's Statement to ABC News:
Hello, I'm Katherine Jackson, and there are rumors going around about me that I have been kidnapped and held against my will.
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.
But anyway, I am devastated that while I've been away, that my children, my grandchildren, have been taken away from me, and I'm coming home to see about that, also.
So I spoke to my grandson, TJ, last night, that I left there to be in charge of my children -- and I never leave home without leaving them with instructions of who to stay there with them, the nanny and all of them -- and someone had let go the cook, the nanny, and also the housekeepers. I don't know who did that but they don't have that power and they shouldn't have done it.
And now, the people are saying they 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.
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. And, but, 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.
And I told him it wasn't necessary for him to go down and sign for guardianship. ... I don't know who instructed him to do that -- but that's what, but he wanted me to come home before that happened, but the ruling in court today was about the guardianship and I think it was based on a bunch of lies, but I have a good idea who's doing that and who's behind that.
But I am grateful for my children that they saw that I needed rest and they wanted to take me away for a while, just a short vacation and rest up. But one thing I have to say ... that I'm here at Miraval. They have taken good care of me and have made sure that I got the rest that I needed.
One reason I haven't called is I just gave up my phone and I didn't want to have any phone calls while I was here.
My assistant, Janice Smith, have been calling back home to see how things were going and she had been keeping in contact with my nephew, I mean my grandson, and he says everything is going fine. But I was still thinking about the children and I still worry about them, but they are fine.
Before I left, as I said, 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 away -- 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.
I have to thank Miraval again for taking very good care of me and making sure I got good rest.
We don't get much -- we saw an electric show because it was lightening and we saw a rainbow.
I had a very good time here -- and if anyone wants to rest I think they should come here.
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.