(dailymail.co.uk) - Britney Spears is being investigated for possible child abuse, it's been claimed. The complaint, lodged with Department of Children and Family Services, alleges poor dental hygiene, as well as poor eating and sleeping habits for Sean Preston, two next month, and 11-monthold Jayden James.
Spears, 26, is currently battling ex-husband Kevin Federline for custody.
The allegations are contained in legal papers filed yesterday by Federline's attorney, suggesting it might have been Federline who lodged the complaint.
It was reported in the US that Spears gives her sons bottles of fizzy drinks and lets them snack on sugary food. The allegations were reportedly raised at an unscheduled hearing yesterday at Los Angeles Superior Court.
Although Britney was not present, her lawyer, Dennis Wasser, was said to be there along with Mark Kaplan, who represents her estranged husband, Kevin Federline.
Spears and Federline, 29, are caught up in an ugly custody battle over sons Sean, 23 months, and Jayden, eleven months. Federline is said to have served legal papers to a string of witnesses who can allegedly testify about her chaotic behaviour.
Spears' recent off the wall indiscretions, which include a topless swimming pool romp with a stranger earlier this month, have led Federline to seek full custody of their children.
In April last year, child welfare officials visited Spears' Malibu mansion after she was spotted driving with Sean, then just four months, sitting on her lap.
Although she was reprimanded for not using a child seat, she was not charged with any offence.
With the break-up of her marriage, the wayward star has seemingly spiralled out of control and is involved in a bitter rift with her mother, Lynne. Spears has been in and out of a rehab clinic and caused a sensation when she shaved her head in February.
Just last week, she was said to have spent the night in a Beverly Hills hotel with magician Criss Angel, 39, after a night drinking Dom Perignon champagne. The wild night came just hours after she left a midday summit with her solicitors over her looming custody fight in tears, according to reports.
Website TMZ says a hearing in the custody case, following up from yesterday's appearance, has been scheduled for September 4. Yesterday's hearing was said to concern the dental hygiene of Spears' two boys, as well as their poor eating and sleeping habits, according to the site.
The allegations were said to have been included in legal papers filed by Kevin Federline, Spears' estranged husband. The site suggests Federline was behind the complaint filed to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
A spokesman for Spears has not yet commented.