Wild rumor claims Michael Jackson’s kids wear his ashes in broken heart necklaces: "They're afraid..."
Even after fifteen years of his tragic passing, Michael Jackson continues to make headlines. The King of Pop was gearing up to make a comeback but sadly passed away in 2009. Throughout his life, Jackson always attempted to keep his private life away from the glaring eyes of the media, often becoming the subject of baseless rumors. However, even after his death Jackson couldn't escape the wrath of gossipmongers. A wild report once speculated that Jackson was cremated, and his children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., Paris, Michael Joseph Jr., and Prince Michael II (Bigi), wore his ashes in necklaces shaped like broken hearts.
Following his tragic passing, Jackson was honored in a televised memorial service on July 7, 2009, with millions watching as his golden casket, adorned with roses, was displayed. Initially, reports suggested he was laid to rest in a prestigious California cemetery, but rumors emerged that he may have been quietly cremated, as per Radar Online. Reportedly, after Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, his body was kept in a morgue for several months before his family had him cremated.
Some of his ashes were reportedly scattered beneath the Giving Tree at his Neverland Ranch, while the rest were divided among his children. "The ashes are now in necklaces like the one that Paris wore to Michael's memorial service and wrapped around his wrist as he lay in his open coffin," a source told Radar Online. "She and her brothers rarely wear the necklaces in public. They keep them in locked boxes at home, as they're afraid of losing the last remains of their father." Reports further revealed that to mislead fans and prevent grave robbery, Jackson’s golden casket was publicly placed in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Park’s Great Mausoleum in Glendale, California.
However, all the rumors were debunked when Jackson's death certificate confirmed that he was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial in Glendale, California. Despite speculation, official records show the 'Billie Jean' singer was laid to rest following his passing. Jackson was embalmed, not cremated, and was interred in a crypt at Forest Lawn Glendale's Great Mausoleum in August 2009, as reported by Lead Stories.
Talking about Jackson's funeral drama, Janet Jackson had to deny claims from Randall Sullivan’s book 'Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson' that she delayed her brother’s burial for three months over a financial dispute, as per ABC. The singer called the allegations "false and defamatory" through her attorney. The book alleged that Janet paid $40,000 for Jackson's burial at Forest Lawn Glendale but refused to proceed with the funeral until she was reimbursed. Vanity Fair also published excerpts of these claims in its November 2012 issue.
Janet's attorney, Blair G. Brown, however, sent an October 5, 2012, letter to Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter, calling claims from Sullivan's book "highly damaging" and without factual basis. The letter demanded a retraction of the article’s statement that Janet "refused" to allow Jackson's burial until she was reimbursed. However, a Vanity Fair spokeswoman defended the article, stating that additional reporting confirmed Janet deposited more than the $40,000 mentioned in Sullivan’s book for her brother’s burial.