Moises Arias: Will And Jada Smith Defend 20-Year-Old Photographed Shirtless With Willow

Moises Arias was photographed shirtless and in bed with the 13-year-old Willow Smith, but the 20-year-old actor is being backed publicly by Willow’s parents Will and Jada Smith.

The controversial black and white picture was posted to Arias’ social media account last month, showing the Hannah Montana actor shirtless with Willow Smith fully clothed in front of him.

The picture caused a stir, and now has reportedly prompted the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services to launch an investigation.

“The investigation was formally opened last week and is being taken very seriously by the department,” a source told RadarOnline. “Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have been extremely cooperative with officials. Of course, they aren’t happy that their parenting skills are under scrutiny, but they understand. Social workers will also be talking separately with Willow, and they also want to talk to the young man in the picture with her as well. This won’t just be one or two visits with the family, and it will likely be an open investigation for at least a month, out of an abundance of caution.”

While Will and Jada Smith haven’t spoken publicly about the investigation, Jada has defended the picture and Moises Arias.

Speaking in a video on TMZ, she said: “‘Here’s the deal. There was nothing sexual about that picture of that situation. You guys are projecting your trash onto it … and you’re acting like covert paedophiles and that’s not cool.”

Moises Arias is close to the Smith family, and was seen shortly after the controversy erupted grabbing lunch with both Willow and her brother Jaden.

Will Smith and Jada say they trust their daughter, who they describe as very mature.

“We don’t do punishment,” Will told Metro last year. “The way that we deal with our kids is, they are responsible for their lives. Our concept is, as young as possible, give them as much control over their lives as possible and the concept of punishment, our experience has been — it has a little too much of a negative quality.”

Another source told Us Weekly that Moises Arias and Willow Smith are “like brother and sister” and that there is nothing going on romantically between them.