Los Angeles ? Child welfare investigators earlier this year found there was no basis for allegations that Michael Jackson had abused the boy now accusing him of molestation, according to a confidential memo.

The memo from an administrator with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services was based on an investigation last February and was leaked to the Web site thesmokinggun.com, which posted it Tuesday. A source familiar with the document confirmed its authenticity to The Associated Press.

The memo was dated Nov. 26, 2003 — a week after the Santa Barbara County district attorney announced child molestation allegations against Jackson.

Both the boy and his brother told investigators Jackson had not sexually abused them, according to the memo. Their older sister said she hadn’t witnessed anything sexually inappropriate between her brothers and the entertainer.

The memo was sent from a regional administrator to medical director Charles Sophy and detailed a probe completed before Sophy joined the agency.

Santa Barbara County Dist. Atty. Thomas Sneddon said in a statement that his office knew of the investigation and that it did not affect his decision to pursue charges.

The report and the “totality of the investigation” were provided to the judge when the search and arrest warrants were issued for Jackson, Sneddon said.

“Given what we know we do not consider the DCFS statement a significant factor,” he said.

Jackson’s defense is certain to seize on the memo.

Michael Jackson thanks the audience during the Oct. 27 Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Later arrested on suspicion of child molestation, Jackson has been free on bail and may benefit from a leaked memo from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services that said the department found no basis for the molestation allegations.