(news.com.au) - Britney Spears is being investigated for child abuse as she prepares to battle her ex-husband Kevin Federline for custody of their two sons.
The singer's lawyer Dennis Wasser appeared at an unscheduled hearing this morning in LA County Superior Court's dependency section, which handles child abuse claims. A lawyer for her estranged husband Kevin Federline, who has been fighting Spears for custody of their two young sons in the couple's increasingly nasty divorce battle, and a lawyer for the dependency court were also present at the private hearing. US reports said the LA County Department of Children and Family Services was conducting an active investigation and the matter was deemed to take precedence in the couple's ongoing custody battle - with all other issues put on hold Los Angeles criminal defence attorney Steve Cron said if the county felt the children were at risk, they would begin an investigation. The judge would then decide if the county needed to step in, possibly taking over custody over the kids. All details from within dependency court are confidential and it was unknown if the concern was over one or both parents Spears has repeatedly exhibited erratic behaviour since separating from Federline in November - with the former teen bombshell coming under fire last year for driving with her children sitting unrestrained on her lap and almost dropping one of her sons. The Toxic singer, who has struggled to get her career on track since becoming a mother, spiralled out of control in February - with a distressed Spears shaving her head in an impromptu evening visit to a salon before she was admitted to rehab.
She was recently photographed cavorting topless in a hotel pool with a male stranger and was pulled over during the weekend for speeding while driving to Las Vegas with friends and was let off by police with just a warning after telling highway patrol officers she was speeding because she was being chased by the paparazzi. In the latest development in her divorce case, Spears' former manager today revealed he was hiding out with his family to avoid being served with a subpoena by Federline's legal team. Larry Rudolph - who was fired as Spears' manager early this year after a brief reconciliation with the troubled star whose career he launched - revealed on a Los Angeles radio program that he was keen to avoid having to testify against the singer. Rudolph said he did not want to be served and forced to testify under oath as it would not be good for Spears. Federline's representatives have already rounded up the pop star's cousin Alli Sims, former bodyguard Damien Shippen and ex-assistant Shannon Funk and served them with subpoenas to testify as part of the upcoming child custody battle. A hearing in the custody case has been scheduled for September 4.