Rob and Michele Reiner’s inner circle rejects claims they neglected Nick: 'Insult to every parent'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sources close to Rob and Michele Reiner are criticizing claims that suggest they didn't spend enough time with their son Nick.

The couple was found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home.

Local authorities treated the incident as a homicide, and their son, Nick Reiner, was later arrested and charged in connection with their deaths.

Rob and Michele Reiner tried their best to protect their family

Nick had discussed his struggles with drug addiction and homelessness that began in his teens.

Sources close to Rob and Michele Reiner denied the claims, suggesting they didn't devote enough time to their son Nick.

“To say that Rob and Michele weren’t as loving as parents get or that they didn’t try everything they could to support Nick is an insult to every parent, especially those with a child suffering from mental health issues," a source close to the family told PEOPLE.

The source added that Rob, a famous filmmaker and actor, and Michele, a producer and photographer, "did an admirable job balancing parenting and work, but their kids are all adults now, and they had tried so hard for years."

‘Nick didn’t take help seriously,’ says another source close to family

Another insider said, “At the end of the day, Nick didn’t take the help seriously. This was true for years and years. His issues were far, far out of his parents’ control.”

“Nick lied a lot," the insider told PEOPLE. "He was unreliable, but he was also convincing and intelligent. His family was empathetic to how much his struggles contributed to his behavior. They never lost hope in him, even when he was scaring them or making their lives harder.”

Nick, 32, had spoken openly about his battles with drug addiction and homelessness in public interviews.

He once estimated that he went through drug treatment 18 times during his teenage years. In a 2016 interview with PEOPLE, Nick mentioned that he was first sent to rehab around his 15th birthday and that he turned down the option to go back several times after that.

Nick and Rob later collaborated on the film Being Charlie, which drew partly from their own experiences.

The semi-autobiographical 2015 movie focused on addiction and reflected Nick’s struggles with substance abuse, with both father and son saying the project helped mend their previously strained relationship.

“They hoped 'Being Charlie' would help build Nick's confidence in the industry and in himself," said the family source.

The Reiners’ deaths shocked their social circles. Friends expressed disbelief and sorrow in the days after the news broke.