Chance of Photos Taken in Jail Affected Hilton's Health, Sources Say

Jun 10, 01:30 AM

Current Headlines: LOS ANGELES _ It was apparently the one time she was camera-shy.

Paris Hilton was so terrified guards would snap a cell-phone picture of her on the toilet that she didn't eat or drink for three days, which left her facing a life-threatening collapse, a source told the New York Daily News. She also was not taking prescribed medication while in jail, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said.

The stainless steel lavatory in the hotel heiress' 12-foot-by-8-foot cell was in plain view of a large window in the door, which guards could look through 24 hours a day.

"She was absolutely terrified that one of the guards or staffers would get her with the cell-phone cam and it would wind up on the Internet," a Hilton insider said Saturday.

"She didn't eat or drink a single thing for three days because she didn't want to use the toilet. She was in real danger."

Hilton also suffered from "extreme claustrophobia" and began hyperventilating and freaking out.

"She cried the entire time, and that wasn't helping the dehydration," the source said.

Jail medical officials became concerned that severe dehydration and a buildup of waste and toxins in Hilton's body could cause a complete collapse and "even kill her," the source said.

Baca suggested Hilton was on suicide watch Saturday night, saying she would be kept under close scrutiny to ensure "there isn't anything harmful done to herself by herself, which is a great concern to me."

Baca said Friday that Hilton's "psychological problems" were worsened by the fact that she was not getting a "particular medication" she normally takes.

Judge Michael Sauer didn't buy the medical excuse, sending Hilton back to jail on Friday to serve the remainder of her 45-day sentence. She could serve just more than two weeks with time off for good behavior.

She spent Saturday heavily sedated in the medical wing of L.A.'s Twin Towers jail, a source close to her told The News.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who said he was in California this weekend for previously scheduled events, said Saturday he'll meet with the sheriff on Monday about the larger issues surrounding Hilton's case.

Sharpton told The News he plans to ask about possible discrepancies in how prisoners of different races and economic classes are treated.

"I will present cases to him and ask why these cases didn't warrant the same consideration (as Hilton's)," Sharpton said.

Meanwhile, Hilton's friends in the Hollywood party set were losing no time trying to steal her socialite crown.

"Although her friends are saying supportive things in public, behind her back they're saying she's faking it," said the insider.

"Paris is the queen bee of her clique in Hollywood. . . . Now she's not there, there is a lot of jostling for her crown. Nicole Richie is planning parties, Kimberly Stewart is planning parties, Kim Kardashian is planning parties.

"Thank God (Lindsay Lohan) is in rehab."

Hilton's lawyer had been expected to file an appeal.

But in a statement Saturday night, Paris said she would serve her time.

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Adam Nichols and Ben Widdicombe contributed to this report.

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(c) 2007, New York Daily News.

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