Britney Spears' downward spiral took a devastating turn Oct. 1, when she was ordered to relinquish custody of her children by a judge who had cited a troubling lifestyle fueled by drugs and alcohol.

Superior Court Judge Scott M. Gordon ruled that Spears' former husband, Kevin Federline, should have custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, from Oct. 3 "until further order of the court."

The judge's order in a closed-door hearing did not state the reason for the change in custody and transcripts of the proceedings were sealed.

Last month, Gordon said Spears engaged in "habitual, frequent, and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol," and ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing twice a week as part of her ongoing custody dispute with Federline.