It’s about to become an even bigger family affair for Mel Gibson — and at least one kid might very distinctly not be all right.
The teenage son of Gibson’s ex-girlfriend Oksana's Grigorieva is going to be talking to Department of Children and Family Services officials Friday, according to Radar Online.
What 13-year old Alexander, the son of Grigorieva and former James Bond Timothy Dalton, saw in terms of violence and abusive behavior between Gibson and his mother could play a big role in where things go next in the legal battle and spousal abuse investigation between the 40-year old singer and the 54-year old Oscar winner.
Attempts to reach DCFS by TheWrap were not returned immediately. However a person close to the sheriff’s department’s spousal abuse investigation told TheWrap that they knew of the agency’s plan to meet with the teen and that they planned to extensively speak to Alexander as soon as next week.
Leaked taped conversations between the two from earlier this year revel Gibson to be racist, sexist and acknowledging at least one incident of domestic abuse with a “You know what, you f—ing deserved it!"
Alexander’s sit-down with DCFS is just the latest legal turn in the couple’s sordid breakup, coming a day after Judge Scott Gordon decided in L.A. Superior Court that Gibson could still have visitation access to his and Grigorieva’s eight-month year old daughter. Gibson is permitted daytime visits and one overnight a week.
Lawyers for Grigorieva and Gibson, including celeb powerhouse attorney Blair Birk, spent all day Thursday in the closed hearing arguing the singer’s motion to have all access to baby Lucia taken away from Gibson because of concerns the actor’s allegedly violent tendencies could harm the child.
Officials from DCFS and the sheriff’s Department were at the hearing on Thursday. Steve Whitmore, sheriff’s department spokesman, also confirmed to TheWrap on Thursday that the head of the investigation has been given CD recordings of Gibson’s leaked conversations with Grigorieva.
The couple split in April after just over a year together. Gibson is still in the process of divorcing his wife of 28 years and mother of his seven other children, Robyn, who he separated from in mid-2009. Robyn stepped to her spouse’s side on Thursday, filing sealed papers with the court claiming that the actor was never violent to her or their children.
"Mel never engaged in any physical abuse of any kind toward me before, during or after our marriage," Robyn Gibson’s single-page declaration states, also saying that he is a "wonderful and loving father" to their seven children.
The sheriff’s department has said it will be talking to everyone involved in the case … including Gibson himself. “We certainly want to speak to Mr. Gibson,” said Whitmore, “but we have not spoken to him yet.”
