California investigates child abuse, neglect allegations in Britney Spears' custody battle

Associated Press


LOS ANGELES — Child welfare investigators are looking into "multiple child abuse and neglect" allegations in the custody battle between Britney Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline, according to court documents released Tuesday.

In a request to unseal parts of the case file, an attorney for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services wrote that there are concerns about the safety and welfare of the two toddlers, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, if they are left in their mother's care.

Though the agency mentioned investigating referrals relating to Federline, the documents don't provide details.

After-hour calls to attorneys representing Spears and Federline were not immediately returned.

The agency requested the court not alter the current custody and visitation arrangements until their investigation is completed. Federline has temporary custody of the boys after Spears defied court orders about regular drug testing.

The latest tidbits on the custody battle are in 300 pages of documents released by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon.

The document dump included previous court rulings, expense reports and income statements for both parents, the names of the custody evaluators selected by Spears' and Federline's attorneys and their detailed resumes.

Spears had asked the court to seal the custody and visitation schedules in a declaration filed in October, arguing that "such information greatly increases the chances that the actions of the media could threaten the safety of the children by, for example, causing a traffic accident."

Spears, whose every errand is trailed by a mob of celebrity photographers, is notorious for distracted driving. She is under investigation for injuring a sheriff's deputy while exiting the downtown courthouse in her white Mercedes.

In 2006, she was photographed driving with her son on her lap.

In October, she pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid driver's license and later obtained a temporary California license.

A misdemeanor hit-and-run charge from an August parking lot crash was dismissed after she paid an undisclosed amount to the car's owner.

Spears pays Federline $15,000 per month in child support, and previous court rulings have said that he currently has no income.

i dont think shes ready for kids....and she shouldnt have custody, nor do i think she even wants those kids

i don't think anyone in her damn family deserves those kids. obviously her parents (the kids grandparents) didn't care enough to help out their daughter. K-fed isn't much better than britney, he's better at hiding it is all.

what a mess :no

I just feel bad for those poor boys. Its not their fault their mom has lost it :rolleyes

i don't think anyone in her damn family deserves those kids. obviously her parents (the kids grandparents) didn't care enough to help out their daughter. K-fed isn't much better than britney, he's better at hiding it is all.

:yes

But still it gets to me. No i dont think they are being cared for as well as they could be considering the resources the parents have. but still...it takes us 6, 7, sometimes 8 calls to CPS to get a mother investigated- even when we KNOW there are drugs being dealt out of the house and worse. Grr its annoying.

i don't think anyone in her damn family deserves those kids. obviously her parents (the kids grandparents) didn't care enough to help out their daughter. K-fed isn't much better than britney, he's better at hiding it is all.

I really really do not want to start a fight but how do you know that K-Fed is a terrible parent? He is followed around as much as Britney Spears by the pop. and they've yet to see a thing worth smearing all over magazine covers :dunno

I really really do not want to start a fight but how do you know that K-Fed is a terrible parent? He is followed around as much as Britney Spears by the pop. and they've yet to see a thing worth smearing all over magazine covers :dunno

he appears in my opinion to be using the kids to further his career, and using them simply to make his ex-wife look bad (not that she needs help)

Wow, those poor boys!!

Those poor babies.

he appears in my opinion to be using the kids to further his career, and using them simply to make his ex-wife look bad (not that she needs help)

What do you mean by make his ex-wife look bad? Are you talking about Shar Jackson? He wasn't married to her, but I don't know if he was married before, so I am confused as to who you are talking about...

You know... I feel sorry for Britney.

It's REALLY easy to judge when you're not living her situation. Imagine having everything you do.... even something as stupid as grocery shopping.... being on the cover of a magazine.

I think she's young.... and ignorant from having everything handed to her. I think she's made parenting mistakes.... but hasn't EVERYONE made parenting mistakes? Nobody's perfect. The difference here is that she can't catch a break.

I feel sorry for her. And I feel sorry for her boys for having to deal with the asshole media. We just need to leave her alone and hope that she gets the help she needs.

k-fed and britney were married previously

he appears in my opinion to be using the kids to further his career, and using them simply to make his ex-wife look bad (not that she needs help)

Even if that's the case he IS the one taking care of them so I don't see how anyone can judge him for doing what it is Britney can't do herself. :dunno

Even if that's the case he IS the one taking care of them so I don't see how anyone can judge him for doing what it is Britney can't do herself. :dunno

i just think those boys boys need to be taken away from that whole situation (the media circus, the drug and alcohol issues of mommy, etc).

k-fed and britney were married previously

Oh you mean Britney, DUH. I am used to her just being called Britney, not used to her being referred to as Kevin's ex-wife. :lmao

Oh you mean Britney, DUH. I am used to her just being called Britney, not used to her being referred to as Kevin's ex-wife. :lmao

oh lol i was like i know i'm not crazy hahaha

oh lol i was like i know i'm not crazy hahaha

:rofl No, I am just slow today, apparently! :nutts

:rofl No, I am just slow today, apparently! :nutts

i still love ya and your siggy--it has chuck norris in it

i still love ya and your siggy--it has chuck norris in it

Chuck Norris RULES!!!

Okay, :offtopic :giggle

Chuck Norris RULES!!!

Okay, :offtopic :giggle

:teehee

i think she thought like a teenager and thought it would be so cool to have babys to dress up and use as assesories she didnt think about the work involved with raising 2 kids

i think she thought like a teenager and thought it would be so cool to have babys to dress up and use as assesories she didnt think about the work involved with raising 2 kids

I agree with that. She just doesn't know how to do it. If they did live with her anyways they'd be raised by nannies.

I also think she was predisposed to some sort of mental disease and something just set her off. Maybe something like postpartum depression. Except she's looking more bipolar.

I personally think she has post partum depression... all her behavior points to symptoms of it... but, she can't really get help or the right type of diagnosis with everything going on because she is just being called the bad parent or out of control or rebelling or neglectful.....

I feel sorry for those kids...

I agree with that. She just doesn't know how to do it. If they did live with her anyways they'd be raised by nannies.

I also think she was predisposed to some sort of mental disease and something just set her off. Maybe something like postpartum depression. Except she's looking more bipolar.:agree she needs help, and i think it may run in her family i read somewhere her grandma killed herself and i believe her mom put her in the spot light to young she never really got to be a kid/teenager

i also believe that neither one can provide an appropriate environment for the children at this time. They both could use some more parenting classes.

Out of curiosity does anyone know if the rumors of her being pregnant again are true? I've only heard a little about it, so I'm assuming no one knows for sure yet.

I don't see how it has anything to do with him... he is attending parenting classes I believe, and doing his part just fine. She is irresponsible and most like needs help. I think the intervention and rehab she went through before was crap really, and is needed again.
After seeing photos of her shopping for chandeliers after leaving her children in the car with her court-appointed monitor, I have lost any respect that was left!

I feel bad for everyone involved in this whole situation i feel bad for britney since her family is just sitting and watching her do this i mean they cant miss it she is all over the net all the time and the poor kids if they stay in either k feds or britneys custody they will need therapy for sure. Dont you remember thinking when they got divorced thank god hopefully k fed wont be in there lives much now he is all they got??

:rolleyes

:yes

But still it gets to me. No i dont think they are being cared for as well as they could be considering the resources the parents have. but still...it takes us 6, 7, sometimes 8 calls to CPS to get a mother investigated- even when we KNOW there are drugs being dealt out of the house and worse. Grr its annoying.

I have been working in CPS for over 10 years and yes- it can be hard for people to understand why things either do or don't get investigated by us. Sometimes things that are crimes (which we don't investigate) are not necessarily abuse or neglect. For example, calling in and saying that drugs are being dealt out of a house is one thing (a crime) but saying that the children are present and the caregiver is using substances, causing her to forget to feed or care for the children is another (neglect).
Doing CPS is like being a garbage man- you know someone does it but you aren't really sure who...

As for Britney and K-Fed- they both have some serious growing up to do. It is really too bad that there isn't a safe and stable relative to take the kids for now. We get referrals in custody cases all the time and most (not all) of the time the info is not really accurate but is more accusations made trying to use our agency to their benefit. :dunno