Katherine Jackson, seen here in this file photo, speaks out for the first time since she was reported missing Saturday. MATT SAYLES/AP Photo
Katherine Jackson spoke out for the first time since her guardianship of Michael Jackson's children was suspended Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Jackson, who had reportedly been out of contact with the three grandchildren for nine days, appeared in a taped segment on ABC News "Nightline" last night. She read from a prepared statement and a reporter was not allowed to ask questions, according to ABC.
The taping with the 82-year-old matriarch of the Jackson family took place at the Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz., where she had reportedly been resting under doctor's orders. She appeared in the segment with her children Jermaine, Janet and Rebbie Jackson, Rebbie's daughter Stacy and the marketing director of the resort.
"Hello. I'm Katherine Jackson," she said. "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.
"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."
She said there are "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."
"... One reason I haven’t called is because I gave up my phone and I didn't want to have any phone calls while I was here," she said, adding her assistant Janice Smith had kept in contact with her grandson TJ at the family compound and that he told her "everything is going fine."
At times, she appeared to lose her place while reading the statement and family members had to help her find it, ABC reported.
On Wednesday, a judge appointed TJ Jackson, 34, temporary guardian of the late pop singer’s children Prince, 15; Paris, 14; and Blanket, 10, and suspended Katherine Jackson as custodian because she may be "prevented from acting as a guardian because of the acts of third parties."
"I am devastated that while I have been away that my grandchildren have been taken away," said Katherine Jackson on the tape. "The ruling in court today was about the guardianship and I think it was based on a bunch of lies."
Katherine Jackson also said she never leaves home without arranging care for the children but that the cook, the nanny and others were let go without her authorization.
