Pop princess-turned-new mom Britney Spears was photographed on Monday driving her SUV through Malibu with son Sean Preston sitting on her lap in the driver's seat, according to People magazine.
The photos immediately raised questions because her 6-month-old son was sitting behind the wheel instead of being secured in a car seat.
According to People, a source close to Britney explained that she had driven to Starbucks with her bodyguard in the passenger seat and young son sitting in his car seat in the back. When the bodyguard went into the coffee shop, Britney took Sean out of his car seat and held him on her lap as she waited.
However, the source told People that aggressive photographers soon approached the SUV and once the bodyguard got back into the car, Britney drove away holding her young infant.
After reports of the incident were made public, Britney released the following statement to People magazine:
"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."