Thursday, 24 January 2008

Brad Renfro spent several days with secret son before he died

Actor was getting to know his child

Brad Renfro spent several days getting to know his son before his shocking death last week.

The actor, 25, had kept the existence of his little boy out of the media spotlight – and the secret was only revealed at Brad's funeral on Monday.

Now the actor's family say they are determined to keep the boy’s identity to themselves so he isn’t harassed by photographers.

‘We did expect this (level of media attention) because people didn't know he had a son,’ Brad’s stepmum Kim tells TMZ.

‘But we’re very thankful he got to see his son before he died.’

The child is said to be living in Japan with his mother. But no other information has been forthcoming.

600 mourners showed up to Brad’s funeral to pay their respects in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.

He passed away in a friend’s apartment on 15 January. The cause of death remains undetermined.