Britney Targeted in Child Abuse Investigation

TMZ has learned Britney Spears is being investigated for possible child abuse.

An unscheduled hearing was held today at L.A. County Superior Court. Present -- Britney's lawyer, Dennis Wasser, K-Fed's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, and a lawyer from the Los Angeles County Counsel who is assigned to the dependency court.

We do not know the specifics of the allegations but we're told the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services is conducting an active investigation.

A hearing in the custody case has been scheduled for Sept. 4, which will be a follow up to today's appearance.

A rep for Britney did not immediately return our request for comment.