'Too Close' Singer Raphael Brown Fears Child Stealing ... Wins Custody

"Too Close" singer Raphael Brown, from the R&B group Next, got sole custody of his kids -- at least for now -- and may have saved them from being snatched and moved to Minnesota.

According to legal docs, Brown said his ex-wife, Juliette, abused their 12-year-old son and recently forcibly removed him from school.

He says the first time the son was taken out of school, the boy ran scared and screaming from his mom's car. Brown says 2 days later his ex tried again, but the cops intervened and sent him home to his dad.

Brown says he's scared his ex might also be abusing their daughter.

We spoke with Juliette and she thinks Raphael's a "difficult person" and this is merely a ploy to escape paying child support. She claims to be an exceptional mother who has never abused her kids, and has only doled out occasional spankings ... which she calls perfectly legal.

The couple has had their share of troubles, and prior to getting sole custody ... Brown was concerned his ex would take the kids to Minnesota where her family lives.