Fallen pop princess Britney Spears got her stay in a psychiatric ward extended Sunday, as doctors decided to keep her hospitalized an additional 14 days, someone close to the pop star told the Associated Press.
Spears was to be released from UCLA Medical Center's psychiatric hospital today (Feb. 3), but doctors and a medical officer at the ward determined that she should remain, said the person, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
Spears was committed 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 psychiatric hospital before dawn.
To extend her stay, hospital staff members cited a section in the state 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.
Court Commissioner Reva Goetz ruled the day after Spears was hospitalized - and following a year of increasingly bizarre public behavior - that she needed to have someone else take over her personal and financial affairs.
Goetz named Spears' father, James Spears, as her conservator. Goetz also named Spears father and attorney Andrew Wallet as conservators of the pop star's estate. A court creates a conservatorship when it concludes a person no longer can care for themselves or their personal and financial affairs.
In placing Spears in one, Goetz also issued a restraining order, keeping Sam Lutfi, the pop star's friend and sometime manager, away from her.
Goetz also granted the conservator access to Spears' medical records, as well as the right to restrict her visitors and to provide her with around-the-clock security. She ordered a hearing Monday to review the matter.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Spears was to be released from UCLA Medical Center's psychiatric hospital today (Feb. 3), but doctors and a medical officer at the ward determined that she should remain, said the person, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
Spears was committed 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 psychiatric hospital before dawn.
To extend her stay, hospital staff members cited a section in the state 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.
Court Commissioner Reva Goetz ruled the day after Spears was hospitalized - and following a year of increasingly bizarre public behavior - that she needed to have someone else take over her personal and financial affairs.
Goetz named Spears' father, James Spears, as her conservator. Goetz also named Spears father and attorney Andrew Wallet as conservators of the pop star's estate. A court creates a conservatorship when it concludes a person no longer can care for themselves or their personal and financial affairs.
In placing Spears in one, Goetz also issued a restraining order, keeping Sam Lutfi, the pop star's friend and sometime manager, away from her.
Goetz also granted the conservator access to Spears' medical records, as well as the right to restrict her visitors and to provide her with around-the-clock security. She ordered a hearing Monday to review the matter.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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