Pop singer Britney Spears may be investigated by child welfare services after photographs of her driving with her baby son on her lap were published earlier this week.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that a deputy had paid a visit to Spears's Malibu home to obtain "contact information" at the request of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
The spokesperson said: "We were contacted by DCFS to obtain contact information from Spears for them."
"What they're going to do with the information we don't know. It's not our investigation."
A spokesperson for the Family Services Department declined to comment on the Spears incident but confirmed that the department routinely investigates reports of failure to properly restrain a baby in a moving car.
Spears issued a statement yesterday defending her actions, saying that she felt threatened by paparazzi at the time.
"I had a horrifying, frightful encounter with the paparazzi while I was with my baby," the singer said.
"I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way, but the paparazzi continued to stalk us, and took photos of us which were sold to the media. I love my child and would do anything to protect him," Spears said.
According to reports, Spears was sitting in a parked car with her son on her lap when photographers approached the vehicle. She then reportedly drove away with the baby still on her knee.
