And his parents ALLOWED him to spend time at Neverland? How CLUELESS are they?
In the documentary "Living With Michael Jackson" by British journalist Martin Bashir, Gavin Arvizo, 12, describes sharing a bed with the entertainer.
"It's obvious that Gavin shouldn't be up on Jackson's ranch on his own and unsupervised," Gavin's outraged outraged dad, David Arvizo, told the Daily Mirror.
JanetÊArvizoÊsaidÊsheÊis not worried and is happy leaving her children in Jackson's care. She added: ÒAll of my kids have stayed over with Michael. I am comfortable with that. They are happy with him and are hoping to travel the world with him. He is their angel.Ó
Surviving on benefits, single mother Arvizo brought up her threeÊchildrenÊDavelin,Ê16, Gavin, 12, and Star, 11, in a run-down district of Los Angeles before Jackson lifted the family out of poverty.
But it was Jamie Masada, who runs a summer camp for under privileged children which the Arvizos attended, who brought the family and Jackson together.
ÒThey were living in a stable with the hay and the horses for a long time,Ó Masada said.
When Gavin was diagnosed with cancer his spleen and one of his kidneys were removed and he was given just two weeks to live. Masada then asked him for a wish list of celebrities that he'd most like to meet.
Although Jackson came third onÊtheÊlist,ÊafterÊcomedians Adam Sandler and Chris Tucker, Masada contacted Quincy Jones who spoke to the singer and arranged a two-day visit for the family to the Neverland ranch.
The Arvizos now live in a comfortable flat and own a car paid for by Jackson and Gavin refersÊtoÊtheÊsingerÊasÊhis father, telling his mother: ÒI am living for my daddy, Michael.Ó
MasadaÊsaid:ÊÒNoÊmatter whatÊpeopleÊmayÊsayÊabout Michael Jackson, he came in and has helped this boy survive.
ÒGavin said they had fun and played games. Gavin is not a na•ve kid. He would have said if something bad had happened.Ó
In last week's documentary, Living With Michael Jackson, JacksonÊrevealedÊthatÊGavin and Star had shared his bed while he slept in a sleeping bag on the floor.
HeÊsaidÊheÊhadÊalsoÊhad child star Macaulay Culkin and his brothers and sisters to stay overnight, but said he believed he was doing nothing wrong.
ÒWhy can't you share your bed? The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone,Ó he said in the show.
Yet in light of sexual allegations made against Jackson in 1993, when a 13-year-old boy accused him of abuse, many find his revelations worrying.
The singer reached a multi-million-dollarÊout-of-court settlement with the boy's family and the case remains Òopen butÊinactiveÓ,ÊaccordingÊto Santa BarbaraÊCountyÊdistrict attorney Thomas Sneddon.
Although Sneddon said last week it was not an offence in California to sleep in the same bed as a minor, the charity Prevent Child Abuse in California is seeking further investigations .
President Gloria Gruber said: ÒIn light of the fact that 10 years ago there was a pro secution, which was then drop ped, leads us to further concern.
ÒWe did actually request the district attorney to launch an investigation and to interview children, as well as parents of children,ÊwhoÊdoÊallow Michael to sleep over .Ó
But there has been a rush to support the star. Debbie Rowe, theÊmotherÊofÊhisÊfirstÊtwo children, described him as a Òwonderful, loving, caring manÓ who had been misrepresented.
BritishÊmotherÊGaynor Morgan, the daughter of former ScotlandÊandÊManchester UnitedÊfootballerÊWillie Morgan, said Jackson had been condemnedÊtooÊquickly.Ê To show her faith in him she plans to visit Neverland later this year with her 10-year-old son .
SalesÊofÊMichaelÊJackson's Greatest Hits have soared byÊ1000%ÊfromÊlastÊweek, accordingÊtoÊmusicÊexperts, suggesting the public are still supporting the singer.
Jackson has complained to TVÊwatchdogsÊaboutÊhis portrayalÊinÊtheÊfilmÊandÊa statementÊreleasedÊonÊhis behalf said:Ê ÒMichaelÊJacksonÊhas never, and would never, treat a childÊinappropriatelyÊor expose them to any harm, andÊtotallyÊrefutesÊany suggestions to the contrary.Ó
09 February 2003