No one has ever called Michael Jackson a rational and grounded individual. A slew of questionable decisions, agitated outbursts and financial queries have landed the self-proclaimed “King of Pop” in serious trouble on more than one occasion. A majority of past accusations against Jackson have gone on behind closed doors far from the public eye, that was, until Tuesday. This time the press and hundreds of fans had a front row seat for yet another bizarre public appearance.

In Berlin, Germany, to receive a Bambi award for his work with children, Jackson dangled his youngest son, Prince Michael II, over a fourth-floor hotel balcony Tuesday. The incident occurred just two days before he was to accept his award.

The obviously nervous child’s head was covered in a towel as it flailed. The only thing separating Prince Michael II from a four-story plunge was Jackson’s left arm. While some fans on the ground roared in approval at a rare glimpse of Jacko’s mysterious child (the mother of the child has yet to be named), others screamed in horror, fearing that the child would fall.

Jackson issued a statement later that day through his lawyer calling the incident a “terrible mistake” and saying, “I offer no excuses for what happened.” Jackson further noted, “I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children.”

While some have accepted Jackson’s apology, law enforcement officers have not let the issue go. German police acknowledged Thursday that they have begun an investigation into whether or not Jackson committed a crime by putting his child in a dangerous predicament. A spokesman for the police noted that it was only a preliminary investigation into the incident.

“We are examining if there is cause to open an investigation into whether a crime was committed,” said Berlin police spokeswoman Christine Rother. If it is found that Jackson participated in parental neglect of care or supervision of his child, then a more formal investigation would commence.

The evidence has been captured by television news cameras that were staking out the hotel in the hopes of getting a glimpse of Jackson. The incident has since become worldwide news.

The incident occurred in the midst of Jackson’s $21 million breach-of-contract lawsuit at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, Calif., in which Jackson has been accused of not appearing at scheduled millennium concerts. Jackson’s appearance in court turned into a media frenzy when the singer was photographed with what appeared to be a severely damaged nose, the result of years of plastic surgery.

The most famous nose in music has appeared to be hanging by a thread for years, but the shocking photos upset the singer and his lawyers who objected to the presence of press pool photographers.

Jackson found even more trouble earlier this year when he labeled Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola a racist and “the devil” at a New York City press conference.