Brad Pitt cleared in child abuse investigation

Brad Pitt has been cleared of child abuse claims in relation to allegations that he got “physical” with his eldest son during an argument on the family jet.

The actor had been accused of getting violent with Maddox, 15, during the September 14 spat, which reportedly prompted estranged wife Angelina Jolie to file for divorce the next day

However, today a source told CNN that the father-of-six has been cleared by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services in relation to the abuse claims.

When approached for comment by CNN, the DCFS declined to comment, citing confidentiality laws.

However, it’s a big win in for the 52-year-old father, who was also accused of trying to drive away from the airport in a fuel truck while "drunk" following the international flight between France and the US.

And no doubt it will go someway towards supporting his bid for joint custody of Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Knox, and Vivienne.

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Earlier this week, Ange released a statement through her rep claiming that she’d been granted full custody of the kids, with Brad due to receive only “therapeutic visits.”

However, a source close to Brad today claimed that that’s not the case, insisting that the current temporary agreement has simply been extended and that no long-term decisions have been made.

“It makes no sense because Pitt filed for joint custody on Friday ... days after this supposed 'new' agreement,” the insider tells Page Six.

Meanwhile, LA-based celebrity divorce attorney Peter Walzer, told USA TODAY he’s “not surprised” Brad has been cleared, and thinks he’s in with a good chance of getting shared custody.

"It's an unwritten rule (the parties) get defacto joint physical custody, which is 50-50 time," Peter told the publication.

"It means shared time with the other parent. You have to work really hard not to get equal time in this county. And what that looks like is 2/2/5 — she gets them two days, he gets them two days and they alternate weekends Friday to Monday," he explained.

Although, in California, it’s believed kids are given a say about who they prefer to be with, especially if they are older than 14.

"There is a statute that allows kids over 14 to tell the court what they want and the court must consider it," Peter said.

"It doesn't mean they have to follow it but generally they do. When a kid says 'I don’t want to be with dad or mum,' that’s what's going to happen. The court has to consider what the kid wants to do."

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