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When Katherine Jackson left for Arizona, she DID let the children know she was leaving town, a Jackson family source confirms to X17.

Various online reports claim the Jackson matriarch left her home in Calabasas without notifying Paris, Prince and Blanket of her plans.

A source from within the family tells X17online exclusively, “This is simply untrue. In fact, Prince helped her [Katherine] carry her bags to the car before she left on her trip.”

As for the Tweets from Paris Jackson’s Twitter account claiming that Katherine was missing, family members suspect Katherine’s nephew, Trent, was behind those messages.

We’re told Katherine went to Arizona to spend time with her daughter Rebbie, and to get away from Trent, who the Jacksons say is “the very person and persons we are trying to protect our mother from.” Currently, we're told Trent is prohibiting family members from speaking with Michael's three children.

Aside from being investigated for filing a bogus missing persons report, X17online exclusively reported that Trent is also named in a pending elder abuse investigation being conducted by the Sheriff’s Department.

Although Steve Whitmore of the LA County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment, the Jackson family confirms that the investigation, which also names current Jackson estate executors John Branca and John McClain, is underway.