The King of Pop is dead, so it’s understandable that most news reports are concentrating on his musical legacy. And yet, as was the case with the coverage surrounding Natasha Richardson’s death, as a parent I have to wonder: How are his kids faring right now?

It’s easy to forget he had children. When most folks hear the words “Michael Jackson” and “kids,” they very well may think about his child-molestation trial, which ended in acquittal. But Jackson was a dad: He had three kids, Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7.

What do we know about them? Not much, not even what they look like. Most of the time, Jackson insisted on shrouding their faces in public, allegedly to protect their identities, and there were certainly no interviews with them. We know he dangled a then-infant Prince Michael II over a Berlin balcony, which kicked off a media storm (but strangely, no child protective services investigation).

In a way, worrying about his kids now seems to be too little too late. Although there’s no proof that he mistreated his kids (guess we’ll have to wait for the inevitable tell-all memoirs), I think it’s fair to say that they weren’t reared in the most functional environment. But no matter what went on in the Jackson home, the fact is three young kids just lost their father, and the story (and death videos and pics, thanks a lot, TMZ.com) is plastered all over the news.

Unlike Richardson, whose husband Liam Neeson became a single dad upon her death, Jackson’s kids have no second parent to comfort them. Prince Michael I and Paris’s mom, Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe, (rumored to have been artificially inseminated, perhaps by a sperm donor), gave up her parental rights and doesn’t seem to have a relationship with the children. Prince Michael II was birthed by an unnamed surrogate.

Presumably, someone from Jackson’s family will step up and take them in. Already there are rumors of a custody fight brewing–between Jackson’s mom and the kids’ nanny no less! Whatever happens, I doubt they’ll end up in foster care. And yet, as everyone else mistily reminisces about Thriller and his other musical milestones, all I can think about are those kids. I just hope they’re able to find some kind of peace and stability.

Update: Looks like Michael Jackson’s mom is getting temporary guardianship of her late son’s children. Let’s hope she keeps husband Joe away from them!