Brad Pitt's midair clash with son Maddox sparks divorce, FBI investigates actor's alleged child abuse

Aside from earning the world’s scrutiny from a failed marriage, Brad Pitt is now under investigation for alleged physically and verbally abusing his children with estranged wife Angelina Jolie.

Various media outlets reported Thursday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is handling charges of child abuse against the 52-year-old Hollywood actor.

According to multiple reports, Pitt allegedly went screaming and got physical with one of his six children aboard a private plane that brought the family back to the United States from France. Since the incident occurred in the air, the case was referred to the FBI and not the Los Angeles Police Department.

Citing sources, The Sun said the midair tension transpired between Pitt and Maddox, Jolie's 15-year-old adopted son from Cambodia.

“There was a disagreement with the eldest boy," a long-time staff of the Jolie-Pitt household told The Sun.

“I know it started on the way to the airport before the plane took off and escalated on the plane. It was a teenage thing, there is a lot of hormones going on. They were gone for over ten days. You put eight people in a little tube like that and put them up in the air for 12.5 hours, add this and that to it.”

But The Sun's sources, who are close to the family, dispelled rumours that Pitt is a physically and verbally abusive father. The couple's long-time assistants claimed that the actor was distraught over the possibility of losing access to his children.

The event is now being regarded as the ultimate cause why the most visible and high-profile Hollywood couple separated on Sep. 15. The 41-year-old actress has sought the dissolution of her marriage with Pitt and is seeking seeking full physical custody of their children: Maddox, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, 10-year-old Shiloh, and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Based on the divorce documents Jolie filed before the Superior Court of Los Angeles Monday, Jolie cited irreconcilable differences as the cause of her action. She did not seek spousal support for their children but agreed to give Pitt visitation rights. (Read: Angelina Jolie pulls the plug on Brangelina, files for divorce from Brad Pitt)

Brangelina split

Jolie refused to face the media after the divorce filing but her lawyers claimed that the actress made the decision “for the health of the family.”

Meanwhile, Pitt said “what matters most now is the well-being of our kids” as he requested privacy for his family after news of the Hollywood couple's split took the world by surprise. (Read: Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt divorce catches George Clooney by surprise, Hollywood stars react to Brangelina split)

Reports further said that the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services have separately interviewed Jolie, Pitt and their children. Sources said that if interviews with the kids suggest a possible incidents abuse at their Los Angeles residence, another investigation will be launched.

Jolie and Pitt met in the set of the 2005 film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” while the actor was still married to actress Jennifer Aniston. Their romance was allegedly caused Pitt’s divorce. Jolie, for her part, was previously married to Billy Bob Thornton and Johnny Lee Miller.

Named as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UHHCR) Goodwill Ambassador in 2001, Jolie Jolie gave birth to Pitt’s daughter Shiloh Nouvel on May 27, 2006. Pitt had legally adopted all of Jolie’s adopted children until their twins were born on July 12, 2008. It was only on Aug. 14, 2014 that the couple got married.