Popular celebrity website TMZ has been forced to issue an apology after writers claimed that Janet Jackson had slapped Michael's daughter, Paris, during a confrontation at their house.

Janet's attorney, Blair G Brown, denied that such abuse had taken place and now an official statement has been released by TMZ that confirms Janet "did not slap" the teen:

"Janet Jackson did not slap or verbally abuse Paris Jackson during a confrontation at the Jackson family home in Calabasas last week. TMZ published a story last week based on sources who told us Janet went off on Michael Jackson's daughter after the singer tried to grab Paris' cell phone."

"We also reported Janet called Paris a "spoiled little bitch." Although we believed the story to be true when we published it, we have now determined it was not correct ... Janet did not slap or otherwise touch Paris, nor did she verbally abuse her."

The Jackson family have been in the press a lot recently after the children's grandmother, Katherine, went missing. Prince Michael then exposed a text sent by his aunt Janet, which revealed she had tried to keep both himself and his sister Paris from seeing Katherine during her unexpected absence.