Britney Spears explains why she drove with Sean on her lap
UPDATE 2: At 4:30 pm EST, Deputy Mark Winn from the Sheriff’s Department is on his way back after questioning Britney about the situation.
You can view the entire photo set at Slave4U, for those interested. We only have permission to post this one photo, so you must go elsewhere for the others. Thanks for understanding.
UPDATE 1: LA County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has contacted the LA County Sheriff’s Department, to investigate Britney Spears’ now infamous driving with SP (aka Sean Preston) in her lap. Though Britney swears up and down it was because the paparazzi were chasing her, photo evidence suggests that this is unlikely as the window(s) were open and she is seen smiling or laughing.
X17, the photo agency responsible for the photos, told EXTRA: "These pictures were taken in a very peaceful context, in which photographers exhibited no aggressive behavior. We believe the pictures speak for themselves."
Source TMZ
Posted February 7, 7 AM EST:
On Monday, Britney Spears was photographed fleeing a Starbucks after paparazzi got aggressive with her while she was waiting for her bodyguard to come back with drinks. Britney had taken Sean Preston out of his carseat to play with him while waiting, when paparazzi came up to the window and became a nuisance. As soon as her bodyguard got back into the car, Britney drove away and got onto the highway with Sean sitting on her lap.
She released the following statement to People this morning:
"Today I had a horrifying, frightful encounter with the paparazzi while I was with my baby. Because of a recent incident when I was trapped in my car without my baby by a throng of paparazzi, I was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger. 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."
Source: People , US Weekly, and x17.
Thanks to Deanna for the TMZ link.
- Posted on Feb 7, 06 at 5:30PM
- Permalink
- 40 Comments
February 7th, 2006 at 8:29 am
Well the kid needs to learn how to drive a pimp-mobile soon anyway.
Man, Britney makes poor choices. It’s like watching a train wreck.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:00 am
Yeah, your lap is a great place for a child when the paparazzi are chasing you!
February 7th, 2006 at 9:25 am
I think some of you are very fast judging people. Sure it`s dangerous to let your child sit on your lap while you`re driving, but it is her first child, she is quite young and none of us could possibly imagine a situation like that…being chased by paparazzi. We are happy to see all those cute pictures, but we should also realize that some of the actions celebrities take while trying to get away from the paparazzi are not really their fault. And I guess it`s not always easy to stay calm and think about what to do best, when a crowd of people is gathering around you. Well, that`s the price you have to pay, I guess, but still I can understand some actions and I guess if Britney wouldn`t know that it was wrong, she wouldn`t have posted a comment on that.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Well was she driving or coasting to the side of the road? I don’t get it. I can’t see any mother in their right mind driving with an infant on their lap – so there must be more to this story and picture then we can see.
February 7th, 2006 at 11:40 am
I’m sorry, but this makes me really angry. I don’t know of any mother in her right mind who would take the three-four minutes it takes to properly strap her baby into it’s carseat if she felt her child was being physically threatened. “Excuse me, aggressive and threatening man, could you please stop stalking us while I strap in my son, thanks!” I don’t think so. I would have done the same thing, and no one can say what they would do unless they were in her situation.
February 7th, 2006 at 11:49 am
I don’t think I really buy her excuse. In one or two of the pictures, you can see her smiling and laughing, and none of the pictures show her looking in any way frightened. Yonni – no, she wasn’t coasting to the side of the road, she left Starbucks and got onto the highway with him still in her lap.
February 7th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
I don’t buy the excuse of her being young and a first time mom. I was 20 when I had my first and common sense told me that he should be in his carseat anytime he was in the car. I seriously hope the book gets thrown at her. Any normal person would be in so much trouble for that, possibly have their child taken away. There was another person in the car. Why couldn’t he get in the backseat and let her hand him the baby to strap in? Yeah, she loves her baby and wouldn’t do anything to hurt him. I’ve driven on highways in CA, there is no way my child would not be in a carseat.
February 7th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
I’m sorry but that is absolutely horrifying. If I felt my child was in danger & I was being chased by paparazzi, my lap would be the last place I put him! A little fender bender or anything (like what happened to Lindsay Lohan) would’ve killed him. He should be in the back seat, rear facing (until at least a year and 20 lbs, although it is better to keep them that way longer to protect their necks), and she should get it together.
No child under the age of 9 should ever be in the front seats for any reason due to the airbags. Her excuse is wrong & most likely a blatant lie and quite frankly I’m tired of children suffering because of parents like her (in regards to proper use of carseats). Absolutely disgusting.
February 7th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
This twit of a girl has really gotten herself into a quandary it seems. The only reason we even know who she is anymore is because her photo appears with nauseating frequency in the tabloids, and anyone who thinks she doesn’t court that attention is as silly as she is. The fact is that she has no talent, is not particularly bright – to put it mildly, and at present is simply stalling her inevitable trip to the bubble-gum pop scrapheap next to NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys. The only thing keeping her off it are these “horrifying” paparrazi. How much more horrifying if the photographers decided not to give a crap anymore. That day can’t come soon enough for me. It is fun to make fun of her train wreck of a life but even that is getting a bit boring these days.
As for the baby, he should enjoy the good times while he can. His Mom risking his life behind the driver’s seat is nothing to what’s in store for this poor little tyke with parents like that….
February 7th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
MammaLaughingBear, if Britney felt Sean being physically threatened why did she have the window open? If I was in that situation thats the first thing I’d do.
I could maybe understand slighty if she was in the car on her own but the bodyguard was right next to her, she could have easily passed him over.
February 7th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
Britney Spears is now suing to have the photo’s of her driving with Sean in her lap to be removed from the web. I think that you should remove them just to be safe.
February 7th, 2006 at 3:23 pm
oh please. She’s only suing because she knows she was in the wrong.
When I heard about this I actually wasn’t surprised for I knew that this would be something Britney would be capable of doing. I will give her the benefit of the doubt and say okay the paps were getting to you. So roll up your window and hand Sean off to your bodyguard and tell him to put the baby in his seat…. then take off. That’s all it took. two seconds. The saftey of my son is more important and I don’t think a few photos is worth the risk. Cause now look she’s trying so hard to defend herself when if she would have done the righ thing this wouldn’t be blow out of proportion. She causes her own drama.
February 7th, 2006 at 3:24 pm
btw her suing would be the least of my worries. I’d be worried about what the police would be doing. If this was ANY other American they would have been pulled over and either arrested or ticketed for child endangerment. But I guess cause she’s Britney this sort of thing is acceptable…..let’s blame it all on the paparazzi.
February 7th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I don’t see where she is smiling, did I miss something?? I am certainly not defending her actions, it WAS dangerous of her to do. BUT, do you know how many idiots there are out there who do this sort of thing on a daily basis and because they are not famous it goes completely unnoticed even by police?? Yes, I was driving just a few days ago and there was a woman holding a baby in her arms in the passenger side of the van, and 2 small children who should have been in car seats were actually running around the vehicle insisde, no seatblets, no nothing! There was a police car right next to the van. Did they stop this driver?? NOPE!!! It happens all the time. People just don’t get it or they are just plain stupid!! This was a very stupid thing for Britney to do. I have almost called the police on several ocassions for this same thing, but from what I hear if they catch the person all they do is warn them anyway. Then, I am sure they go right back to letting their kids ride car seat and seatblet free.
I hope child & family services just warns her and gives her a chance to “make a mistake” as a parent. I think that would scare her into never doing it again no matter what. As parents, we all make mistakes, but this one could kill the poor baby. Wake up Britney! I usually support you, but this one just takes the cake!
February 7th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
Isn’t it her bodyguards job to protect her from the paparrazzi? Maybe instead of holding the coffee he should have been doing his job. If they were so physically agressive that it was terrifying why not throw your coffee at them Brit? You’ve thrown milkshakes before…this isn’t much different. I know you love your Starbucks and I do too but I would still throw my grande at anyone that was threatening my baby.
February 7th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
The photos have been passed all around the internet – they are not from the agency’s site, I just thought it best to credit the actual photo agency. We’ll remove the photo if the agency asks us too, but as of now, it’s not a problem.
February 7th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
I did a little looking & if you go to other sites with more pictures its very clear that Britney did not feel like she was in iminent danger. Furthermore, what was she scared of? Pictures? Like grow up, put your kid in his carseat, and call the authorities if it truly has gotten out of hand. I can guarantee Reese Witherspoon and others who have truly been put in the same situation would never ever have done what Britney did.
However, she’ll get away with this & the paparazzi will get blamed.
February 7th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
I can certainly understand how the paparazzi can be agressive to the point where they just don’t go away. But like many of you stated she’s avoided them before and has even been known to talk to them while out. I have seen her many times showing off in front of pap’s. I don’t think the paparazzi would put Britney nor her baby in real danger. Yes some do get agressive but most just stand and take photos. And like someone stated before why wasn’t her bodyguard there to take action? I mean his job is to protect her and her offspring…..right? so tell your bodyguard you feel threatened and have him take care of it.
well I don’t think Britney will get punished and nor do I think she should be. This time should just be a lessoned learned. Britney America’s watching you!
February 7th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
It appears even Britney doesn’t have her seatbelt on — she would crush him for sure in an accident.
Yes, what most moms would do is yell to the body guard, “get in, you drive!” and all the while you’d be in the back seat strapping baby in his car seat.
She’s nuts.
February 7th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
I’m sorry….but Britney does NOT look like she is in fear for her or her baby’s lives!!! She looks relaxed to me. I think she is grasping for straws to cover up her mindless decision!!! What if she was rear ended? That poor baby wouldn’t have a chance.
February 7th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
I saw insside addition you can see the other pics clearly she is smiling.Now I ask if your going to starbucks,and sending someone in…A) culdn’t take that long leave the baby there,the paparrzi said he wasn’t fussy…b) could she have covered him ,,,locked the doors closed the windows?..covered them both up with a blanky or something?
I think it was poor decision sometimes yes we get flustered and make poor decisions,,but common,,she has been in this situation before?why now?they interviewed someone at starbucks they said the poeple were just standing taking pics?She’s been there done that?
I deal with this alot where I work I am at least once a week telling women/men…fathers/mothers to put there children in the back,,,or in a seat belt ….or not to have them hanging out the window waving goodbye to their siblings.
I work at a elementary school(do traffic control in mornnings) ,the paparazzi should come to my school and take pics of the the careless people who I see like I said at least once a week!!!!!!!
Just plan carelessness,no excuss,,she could have found different answer!
My nieces are 12 and 10 and the will not sit in front seat no matter what until they are the proper height and weight and age!
here it is 13 yrs old.
February 7th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
Joy, what a stupid thing to say, give me a break. She should be punished. Looks like shes fitting right in with her white trash k-fed relations now!
I hope childrens services isnt lenient on her at all.
It only takes one stupid move. She’s an idiot. So if the kid flew out of her hands and to the floor and the car veered to the side of the road and caused a firey crash – is that a lesson learned then?? Give her a chance?? NO. Don’t think so.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:50 pm
well semisocial…..if this wasn’t Britney this incident would have gone unnoticed. It’s because the photographers were there that she got caught. Sadly if this occured in any other place most people wouldn’t even be pulled over….or if they were they’d be let off with a warning. That’s how most states handle it. Granted I see way too many kids not in carseats (my neighbros are known to not put their two year old in his seat) and it’s sad because it’s the parents who are worrying about themselves and their in their hurry up mode to even stop and think about the danger. I say that Britney made a huge terrible mistake. God knows I can’t stand her and never did and I am sure she’ll never make this mistake again but I don’t think CYS should be called on her for being unfit. It’s a careless mistake and I am sure all she’ll get is a warning that if it’s done again she’ll be in much more trouble. But if further action is taken against her then she would get what she deserves. It’s just ashame they can’t do this to all the other people in the world who pull the same stunt on a daily basis.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Hahahahahahahahaah.
She’s starting to become comical now. This is better than a trainwreck.
Oh, who am I kidding, she’s ALWAYS been comical. Why can’t she go and hide into oblivion now?
February 7th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
There has been one time in my son’s life that I drove without him being in a car seat. While at an appointment, my 1 yr. old son went into a seizure. Since 911 did not answer and we were around the corner from a hospital we jumped into the car and my husband drove while I held my son in the back (still seizing the whole drive). I know what frantic and scared for your child’s life looks like in a car, NOT like these pics! I feel for Brit in that she has to deal with the pap, but was this really the best way to protect her son? If as she states, she “instinctively took measures” what does this say for her instincts as a mother? If she had a “horrifyingly frightful encounter” why isn’t she being specific. Did they put their hands on him/you? Did they almost cause you to fall (ie Heidi Klum), ram your car? She’s gonna have to do alot better than that to convince the authorities that driving with her son on her lap was necesary, especially since there was someone in the passenger seat. It’s always the kids that suffer isn’t it? How very sad. I hope she learned from this.
In the spirit of motherhood and support, remember, we ALL make mistakes. Some not so bad as others
February 7th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Brit, you are a pants on fire liar. If you were so in fear, why are you smiling?
Proof you can take the girl out of the trailer park but not take the trailer park out of the girl.
She needs a flick across the forehead. And, time spent with the medical examiners office looking at pictures of children who have lost their lives in auto accidents – those who weren’t restrained properly.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:31 pm
she should fire her bodyguard for not protecting her wisely…..or tell him that coffee breaks are no longer allowed while he’s on duty!
February 7th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
The other day – on the post about her chasing Kevin down before he could have the baby’s ears pierced – I said something I thought I’d never say and now I want to take it back. That statement was:
“If this is true – then she had more sense that I had formerly credited her.”
I need to take that back – as she is more stupid that I ever thought.
February 7th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Fire the body guard for what? It’s not his fault. Why did she take him out of the car seat any way? It seems like everybody has an excuse when it comes to celebrities doing stupid things. She could of hnded him the back. He strapped him in the car seat and they drive off. Of that’s so fraking hard! PLEASE!
February 8th, 2006 at 1:18 am
As a concerned mother, I would like to vent:
If it were you or me, we would have our child taken away pending the completed investigation.
Why did the Bodyguard NOT put poor Sean in the carseat as she is speeding off?
Why was there a photo of her smiling? http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/43/4782/400/britney-spears-baby-lap01.jpg AND THE WINDOW half way down.
AND DID WE EVER THINK THAT THE HOT COFFEE (if any) could have spilled on poor Sean while in the front seat. Not to mention if the air bags went off, if she were to be hit or crashed in her “getaway chase”. Sean could have suffocated. That is why you are to put children under the age of one in the back seat and rear facing.
Seat belts? Hello? It’s the LAW.
Just shows you, anyone can give birth but it takes alot of skill, knowledge and patience to be a true Mom.
We have yet to learn the truth, but if the photographer was chasing them, roll up the windows, lock the doors, secure your child, get on the cell phone and call 911. AND MAKE THAT BODYGUARD WORK FOR HIS MONEY.
Just as bad as the Jackson baby over the balcony. Talk about double standard–you won’t see Gloria Allred running around pursuing child endangerment charges on Brit OR WILL WE?
Feel free to email her and request her to use her “Power”
http://www.gloriaallred.com/CM/Custom/Contact.asp
February 8th, 2006 at 2:24 am
So I guess the body guard took Sean out of his car sat, sat him on Britney’s lap and got of the car and ran into Starbucks. It stated as soon as the body guard got into the car she speed off. I wonder how much time that leave to put him into the car seat.
It’s ridiculous how you people can quickly blame the body guard for something that Sean’s “MOTHER” should of did. If she was really concerned with the “safety” of her child she could of got her lazy self out of the car and put him into the car seat. I guess standing out side of the window of the car snapping pictures is so aggressive. Yet she’s walking down the street with her baby in her arms and while tons of paparazzi are actually in her face snapping pictures of her and her son, yet she does nothing but smile and pose? If it was a ‘normal’ person who did this she would be called a disgrace and shouldn’t even be called a mother. Yet when Mrs. Spears do it it was her body guards fault? You people minds are so twisted with this celebrity filled world.I wonder if the body guard wasn’t there. Than who would you guys blame? When she saw the guard coming out of the store she could of easily picked up Sean and placed him in the car seat. How hard is that? I work with plently of celebrities and if the paparazzi is ‘harassing’ them, they take care of there business first before doing anything stupid. It’s their lives there risking. Not the paparazzi.
So you people who say it’s not Britney’s fault really need help. Just because she is a celebrity, doesn’t mean she can’t make stupid mistakes. And trust me, she has made alot.
February 8th, 2006 at 8:47 am
I too have seen people do this. A couple of months ago I saw a women pulling out of a parking lot on to the freeway with a 1-2 yr old sitting in her lap. There are so many people who do that. I think it would be helpful if Brit didn’t just get a slap on the wrist for this one because then maybe it would bring to those people’s attention that it’s illegal and you can get caught and get your kids taken away even though you had a “good excuse”.
February 8th, 2006 at 9:08 am
I live in St. Louis and see this ALL the time. Occasionally I have been in the position of having to have my kids in the back seat without car seats. (My middle daughter puked on ALL of them…they were being cleaned). BUT…..I always had them belted in and the shoulder strap not across their chest. I have never in my LIFE EVER driven with a child on my lap. I remember slowly rolling thru mcdonalds (did i mention SLOW!LOL)with a 4 month old in my lap when I was babysitting because he was uncontrolably crying….I remember before i left the actual drive thru i belted him back in. if she was in a crash it would be her that would kill him. I remember reading a story a while ago that most kids, if not restrained, would be crushed by the parent holding them…and there would be no way for her to stop herself.
UUUUGGG…and to think I was just starting to think she was being a good mom. I’m SHOCKED that she did this…
February 8th, 2006 at 9:12 am
Apparently she got on the highway with the baby on her lap. I was in an accident last year that was only a fender-bender and the airbag deployed. I’m 5′10” and I was badly burned by the airbag and also had a neck injury from it. That baby would have been toast if she even stopped fast and crushed him against the steering wheel.
February 8th, 2006 at 10:19 am
What happened to the site? Did Britney’s lawyer catch up to you guys?
February 8th, 2006 at 11:02 am
This is absolutly disgusting. You can clearly see her smiling in the 4th picture at the link. I trully hope that she does get some kind of punishment. Make an example out of her. Because if a celebrity can’t get away with it, no one can!! Score 1 for morons!!
February 8th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Well, it is official. They will not be pressing charges, not that this should come as any great surprise. No doubt she pulled this stunt just to prove that she can get away with it!! Poor Preston….he is only 4 months old, and unfortunately the stupid stunts that his parents will play, with him in the middle, are only just beginning! How very sad!!
February 8th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I don’t know if anyone should be surprised by her stupidity – afterall she married Kevin. And she was actually concerned that they would have looked like trailer trash if the baby’s ears were pierced. At least the baby would have been alive – all she would have had to do was just slam on the brakes and her baby could have been killed.
As someone said earlier – anyone can reproduce – but not everyone can be a mother. I sincerely hope she’s learned a lesson – but it’s doubtful if she doesn’t admit she did anything wrong.
February 8th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
What do you mean Stacey?
February 8th, 2006 at 8:32 pm
Sarah, the site was 404 for about 15 minutes this morning