Rock-Bottom Britney ; Troubled Star is Put on Suicide Watch After Holding Her Two Children Hostage i

Jan 05, 06:03 PM

BRITNEY Spears was on suicide watch in hospital last night after being forcibly removed from her home on a stretcher.

Police took the drastic measures after the singer held her two young children hostage for four hours.

Miss Spears, 26, now risks losing the right to ever see the boys again.

She was being held under Section 5150 of California's Welfare and Institution Code at the Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, for a psychiatric evaluation.

To segregate her in such a way, doctors will have needed evidence that she was a danger to herself or others because of her mental state. They can keep her against her will for up to 72 hours.

The events on Thursday mark a new low for the young woman who used to be the best-selling female artist on the planet.

Police were called to her Beverly Hills mansion on Thursday afternoon after she refused to surrender Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, to her ex-husband Kevin Federline after an approved visit.

Federline has temporary custody of the boys because Miss Spears has failed to comply with court orders.

When a court-appointed monitor and later Federline's bodyguards were refused entry, the situation rapidly deteriorated.

In the ensuing hours police attempted to talk Miss Spears around to opening the door, while the media gathered outside.

Shortly after 10pm, Miss Spears let police and paramedics inside her home. An ambulance then arrived and a wheelchair was taken into the house.

By 10.50pm, when she emerged on a stretcher, there were five police cars, a fire crew and paramedics outside, with a police helicopter hovering overhead.

A convoy of squad cars with sirens blaring and paparazzi photographers swarmed around the ambulance on its sprint to the hospital, and media helicopters whirred overhead capturing the scene live for U.S. TV audiences.

Medical experts have suggested recently that Miss Spears is exhibiting the signs of bipolar disorder.

Sufferers of bipolar disorder can suffer 'manic' episodes, particularly if they miss a dose of their medication.

It was initially thought that her actions on Thursday might been prompted by the use of illegal stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Her former aides have accused her of drug use in court.

However hospital sources indicated that tests for illegal drugs were negative.

The children are thought to be back with Federline.

And his lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, headed to court yesterday morning to request that Miss Spears should be deprived of all her child visitation rights.

r.simpson@dailymail.co.uk

(c) 2008 Daily Mail; London (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. Rock-Bottom Britney ; Troubled Star is Put on Suicide Watch After Holding Her Two Children Hostage i
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