Brit's hospital stay extended
2008-02-04 09:40
Los Angeles - Fallen pop princess Britney Spears' stay in a psychiatric ward was extended on Sunday, as doctors decided to keep her hospitalised an additional 14 days.
Spears was to be released from UCLA Medical Centre's psychiatric hospital on Sunday, but doctors and a medical officer at the ward determined that she should remain, someone close to the pop star told The Associated Press, requesting anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter.
Spears was committed on Thursday for a 72-hour hold for evaluation.
Paramedics, flanked by a police escort of about a dozen officers on motorcycles, in cars and a helicopter, took Spears from her home to the UCLA Medical Centre's psychiatric hospital before dawn.
In extending her hospital stay, hospital staff members cited a section in the California legal code that allows patients to be retained for medical treatment if they are found to be gravely disabled or a danger to themselves or others, the person said.
Conservator
Court Commissioner Reva Goetz ruled the day after Spears was hospitalised - and following a year of increasingly bizarre public behaviour - that someone should take over the singer's personal and financial affairs.
She named Spears' father, James Spears, as his daughter's conservator and made Spears' father and attorney Andrew Wallet conservators of the pop star's estate.
Goetz granted the conservator access to all Spears' medical records, as well as the right to restrict her visitors and to provide her with around-the-clock security.
A court creates a conservatorship when it concludes a person no longer can care for themselves or their personal and financial affairs.
Goetz also issued a restraining order, keeping Sam Lutfi, the pop star's friend and sometime manager, away from her.
She ordered a hearing on Monday to review the matter.
- AP