Michael Jackson Once Opened Up About The Infamous Incident Dangling His 9-Month Old Son

Before Michael Jackson died, he welcomed three children – two boys and one daughter. When one of his sons was a few months old, Michael left everyone shocked when he held him over a balcony.

Fans were left devastated when the news broke that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, had passed away aged 50 on June 25, 2009. When the pop singer died, his three children were still all very young.

Michael's daughter Paris was 11 when he died, and she gave a heart-wrenching eulogy at her father's memorial service. Besides Paris, the singer's other children were Michael Joseph Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II.

MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON

The late star welcomed his eldest child and son in February 1997. The "Billie Jean" vocalist had his child with his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, and their son was nicknamed "Prince."

In a previous Fox Soul interview, Prince revealed the advice he'd gotten from his father that he still abides by. He said the "Bad" singer's advice was something along the lines of:

“'The minute you stop learning is the minute that you’re going to start dying.'”

PARIS JACKSON

The vocalist's only daughter was welcomed in April 1998 and was shared with Rowe. Unlike her siblings, she hasn't shied away from the spotlight, and in the past, she's also opened up about the impact Michael had.

While speaking to Supermodel Naomi Campbell, Paris revealed that their father made sure that they were cultured, educated, and knew about the lifestyles of celebrities. The children even got to visit third-world countries.

LEGACY LEFT BY MICHAEL

Speaking to Rolling Stone years after her father's death, Paris revealed how she lived with the mentality that if she lost the most important thing — her father — nothing that was nearly as bad could happen to her again.

She confessed that she felt him with her all the time. Paris also keeps his memory alive and keeps him close by getting tattoos of his handwriting on her body. Additionally, she revealed that she also keeps his jewelry close.

PRINCE MICHAEL JACKSON II

The "Man in the Mirror" musician's last child was Prince, born to an unknown surrogate in February 2002. One of the things that caught people's attention about Prince was his nickname, "Blanket."

However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Prince has gone by his preferred nickname, "Bigi." On occasion, he's been spotted out and about, but he generally prefers staying out of the limelight.

THE INCIDENT WITH BIGI

In November 2002, Michael was in Berlin to receive a lifetime Bambi entertainment award for his philanthropic work on behalf of children. While at his hotel, he performed a stunt that endangered Bigi's life.

The incident made headlines worldwide with the Daily Mirror's reading "Mad Bad Dad" and The Sun's "You Lunatic." Society slammed the star for putting his newborn son's life in danger.

Michael was in Berlin, leaving behind a California lawsuit for backing out of concerts. The incident that had everyone talking saw the pop star holding baby Bigi over the railing of his fourth-floor hotel balcony.

The star held the child over for a few seconds and covered his face with a white cloth to protect his identity from possible kidnappers. Luckily, the child wasn't injured in any way.

A few minutes after retreating with Bigi, Michael returned to the balcony. This time he had a pillow which he'd written, "I love you with all my heart – Michael Jackson."

The star threw the white-colored pillow down to the crowd that had gathered below. Michael seemed in great spirits, and the audience mainly seemed unbothered by the baby-dangling incident.

BACKLASH FOR DANGLING BIGI

The following morning, Michael woke up to the backlash of endangering his 9-month-old son's life. Kevin Kirkpatrick, from Prevent Child Abuse America, criticized the star's reckless behavior, stating:

"Holding a child like that with what appeared to be one arm while leaning over a fourth-floor balcony window is pretty careless to say the least."

Janis Spire of Alliance for Children's Rights said if she'd seen an adult dangling a child out of a window, she would want them to call the police and a child protection hotline.

Berlin prosecutors, however, revealed that they weren't investigating the incident. Despite that, they said they could open an inquiry if someone filed a complaint against the pop star.

Berlin child welfare agencies shared how they had no jurisdiction to intervene in the matter. They did, however, note to the public that if a similar incident did concern them, they should call a child abuse hotline.

JACKSON'S APOLOGY

Michael later released a statement via his lawyer concerning the incident. He said it had been a "terrible mistake," and he'd gotten caught up in the excitement of the moment.

The singer confessed that he'd never intentionally compromise his children's lives. German police called off the investigation as they felt there was no evidence of a crime.

[Michael Jackson] had used the drug, and others, to assist him to sleep.

DIFFERENT RULES FOR THE RICH

The German Child Protection Association's Katharina Abelmann-Volmer felt the police were placing double standards on the case. She noted how a prosecution would happen if someone other than Michael dangled their child sixty feet above the ground.

The child protection advocate complained that there were different rules for the rich and famous as there were for ordinary people.

MICHAEL'S DEATH

Michael died shortly after suffering cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home. Bigi was only seven, and his grandmother, Katherine Jackson, became his and his sibling's legal guardian.

In January 2010, while accepting a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for Michael at the Grammy's, his children spoke about their father. The following month, a coroner's report on the singer's death was released.

The report stated that Michael passed away from acute propofol intoxication. The late singer aided by Dr. Conrad Murray, his physician, had used the drug, and others, to assist him to sleep.