Michael Jackson's son thought his famous father was joking around when he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the living room floor, a family source has revealed.
Prince Michael, 12, watched "in a trance" as doctors frantically tried to revive his dad, Jackson family biographer Stacey Brown told the New York Post newspaper.
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"The horror of it all is that Prince thought his dad was just being his dad and clowning, but it was real, and he watched as they worked on him," Brown was quoted as saying.
"Prince was stunned — in a trance — just watching.
"There was no movement, just looking around and not really processing what was really happening."
Jackson was staying in a $120,000-a-month Los Angeles rental home with Prince Michael, his personal doctor Conrad Murray, a security guard and manager Frank DiLeo when he was struck down.
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It is understood Jackson's two other children Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II were also there but did not see their father die.
DiLeo told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper breaking the news to the children that their father was dead was the "single most painful moment of my life".
After being told Jackson had died, there was a split second of silence before Paris screamed: ‘No, no, Daddy. No, no!'.
"Whatever anyone thought of Michael, he was loved by those children, truly loved. They were — and are — in pieces."
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The news of Jackson's children's reaction to his death comes as their long-term nanny Grace Rwaramba made explosive claims about the family hunt for his cash.
Ms Rwaramba said she had received a call from one of Jackson's relatives who was in his home looking for where he hid his money.
"The relative said, "Grace, you remember Michael used to hide cash at the house? I'm here. Where can it be?" Rwaramba told US media.
"I told them to look in the garbage bags and under the carpets …. but can you believe that?
"They just lost Michael a few hours ago and already one of them is calling me to know where the money is."
Jackson, who died on Friday morning Australian time, had been preparing to fly to London for his 50-concert comeback tour when he died.
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According to New York's Daily News, Jackson's final rehearsal for the tour was recorded on the night before his death.
The high definition video and audio could be released as the King of Pop's final album, the newspaper reports.
Demand for Jackson's music has skyrocketed since his death, with his greatest hits album hitting number one in the charts.
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