January 4, 2008 21:32

Britney Spears on mental lockdown

Star is held at LA hospital

Britney Spears on mental lockdown

Britney Spears is currently on a 'medical hold' at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, it is being reported today (January 4).

After last night’s incident at Spears home in which she was strapped to a gurney and taken by ambulance to the medical facility, more details are slowly emerging about the drama.

The troubled star is being held on what is known as a ‘5150 Hold’, described as “when any person, as a result of mental disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled".

Spears was taken to the hospital just after midnight local time last night, following a stand-off during which she apparently locked herself in a room with her youngest song Jayden James, refusing to turn him over after a scheduled custodial visit yesterday.

He was also admitted to the hospital. No injuries were reported.

The court-appointed monitor who was present at the time called police, who rushed to Spears’ home at The Summit gated community.

She will reportedly be on lockdown for 72 hours.

The ambulance carrying Spears was surrounded by paparazzi, who photographed the star in a variety of moods, from laughing to crying.

Meanwhile, attorneys for Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline were in court today for an emergency custody meeting following last night’s events.

No details of the meeting have emerged, and Federline’s laywer Mark Vincent Kaplan refused to speak to the media directly, citing it ‘inappropriate’ doe to the serious nature of the incident.

Spears’ father Jamie Spears arrived at the hospital in the early hours of the morning and remains there with his daughter. When contacted by TV show ‘Access Hollywood’, Spears’ mother Lynne tearfully said "Just say prayers."

Initial police reports that Spears was under the influence of an unknown substance remain unconfirmed.

--By our New York staff.
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