Multiple media reports have stated that actress Angelina Jolie's filing for divorce from her actor husband Brad Pitt was triggered by to the latter's being investigated on charges of verbal and physical abuse of their children.
According to TMZ, the chain of events was prompted by the actor's getting "wasted" on a flight with Jolie and their children and then going "wild, screaming and getting physical with the kids":
We're told the plane landed at an airport around 8 PM, and witnesses say Pitt continued his rant on the tarmac, and even tried leaving in one of the fuel trucks.
Our sources say someone either on the plane or the tarmac anonymously reported the incident to the L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services. We're told Brad and Angelina have already been interviewed and DCFS plans to interview the kids as well. That investigation is ongoing.
We're also told the LAPD has the case, which is routine when anyone reports child abuse. We do not know the specifics of the alleged abuse, just that it was supposedly both verbal and physical.
People magazine similarly reported:
Brad Pitt is under investigation for child abuse after after he allegedly got "verbally abusive" and "physical" with one of his children with Angelina Jolie on the couple's private plane while their other kids were present.
The Los Angeles Police Department and L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services are both investigating after someone anonymously reported the incident on the tarmac, a source [said].
Pitt is accused of getting verbally abusive with one couple's kids, as well as getting "physical," a source says. Jolie was present at the time, along with at least some of their other children.
The report allegedly indicates he had been drinking at the time of the incident.
However, the Los Angeles Police Department have so far unequivocally denied being part of any such investigation:
The Los Angeles Police Department is not investigating Brad Pitt for child abuse, nor has any allegation been made against the actor, Sgt. Barry Montgomery [said].
"We have no criminal investigation that we are actively pursuing," Montgomery said. "To my knowledge, [Pitt talking to police] never happened. And right now, that is where our office is. We are not investigating any case, nor do we have any allegations against Mr. Pitt. We understand how rumors get spun up, and hopefully we can put a few of them to rest. We have no investigation involving Mr. Pitt."
L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services could not confirm nor deny it was involved in an allegation involving Pitt.
A source close to Pitt said that "He takes the matter very seriously and says he did not commit any abuse of his children," adding, "It's unfortunate that people involved are continuing to present him in the worst possible light."
Jolie filed for divorce on 19 September 2016 and requested sole physical custody of the couple's six children (Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8) citing irreconcilable differences in ending their two-year marriage.