Michael Jackson's Chimp Bubbles Tried To Kill Himself After Star's Molesting Scandal
Feb. 16 2019, Updated 10:20 p.m. ET
Michael Jackson's pet chimp Bubbles reportedly tried to kill himself in 2003 after the King of Pop was charged with child molestation.
According to a report in The Times of India, Bubbles had been moved off of Jackson's Neverland ranch earlier that year amid fears he could be a danger to his children Prince, Paris and Michael Jr.
After the superstar singer was charged (he was later acquitted of molestation), "his favorite pet, a chimpanzee named Bubbles tried to commit suicide," The Times of India stated, giving no further details.
Earlier this month, NME reported allegations by famed primatologist Jane Goodall, 84, that Bubbles was punched in the face and kicked in the stomach while he lived at Neverland.
"When he was with Michael he was being beaten," Goodall said, but she didn't claim that Jackson was himself responsible for the abuse.
However, Goodall revealed that she'd "ticked" Jackson off questioning him about Bubbles' condition.
Also, Jack Gordon, the ex-husband of La Toya Jackson, has contended that he personally witnessed Jackson hurting the chimp.
The Jackson family has denied the claims that Michael was abusive towards Bubbles.
Incredibly, Bubbles is still alive after his master Jackson died in 2009 at age 50.
The famed chimp is now 35 years old and has lived at the Centre for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida since 2005.
As RadarOnline.com reported in 2012, Jackson's family has had nothing more to do with Bubbles.
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Bubbles became a primate star for living with Jackson and he regularly was trotted out for photo ops.
The chimp slept in a crib and snacked in Jackson's home movie theater.
But with age Bubbles became aggressive and he was placed with a California trainer in 2003 after Jackson's child molestation scandal. Then he was moved to the ape center.
The Centre For Great Apes founder, Patti Ragan, has denied that Bubbles has self-harmed.
But Bubbles' suicide story has caused shock after the documentary Leaving Neverland ripped the lid off Jackson's alleged molestation of two boys, who are now grown and accusing the star.
The Jackson estate has vehemently denied all the accusations in the controversial doc.
Jackson was acquitted after being charged with seven counts of child molestation in 2005.
An animated movie about Bubbles is now being made, RadarOnline.com sources said early in 2019.
"It's going to tell the story of this chimp's incredible journey from birth in a medical lab to adoption by a famous pop star when he was eight months old, told through Bubbles' eyes," an insider said.
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