Britney, Son Reportedly Hospitalized

Pop Star Taken To Hospital After 3-Hour Child Custody Standoff

(CBS/AP)  The troubled life of Britney Spears added a new chapter when the pop star was whisked away in an ambulance after police were called to her house to help end a nearly three-hour custody standoff involving her young sons.

Spears, 26, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Entertainment Tonight reported on its Web site Friday. Cedars spokeswoman Simi Singer said she could neither confirm nor deny the report, citing patient confidentiality laws.

Officer Jason Lee of the Los Angeles Police Department told City News Service that Spears appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. He declined to elaborate. No injuries were reported.

Spears was conscious late Thursday when paramedics took her out of her home in a gurney. Several police cars escorted the ambulance out of the neighborhood, followed by dozens of paparazzi.

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Photos: Standoff At Britney's

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Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier told Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen Friday he had "learned that there were two ambulances that left Britney's house, one of them carrying her young son, Jaden James, and we don't know the condition of the child or Britney."

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Photos: Pop Diva Britney

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Officers were called to Spears' home around 8 p.m. local time to respond to the custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline over their sons, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James, Lee said.

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Timeline: Britney's Meltdown

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By about 10:30 p.m., six police cars, two ambulances and a fire truck had entered the gated-community that includes Spears' house. Several police cars were seen in the area earlier in the night.

Spears turned over the children around 10:50 p.m., Lee said.

Calls to the Police Department's media line early Friday were not answered.

From the hospital, Frazier told Chen, "Kevin Federline's guard is standing in front of the emergency room door. He has some kind of veil blocking the door, so that people cannot see in. Inside, it is almost like an armed camp. Three police officers in the hallway, four more in the back room."

Spears and Federline have been involved in a long and very public custody battle. Federline has temporary custody of the children because Spears, who has limited visitation rights, has defied court orders. The two were married in October 2004 and divorced in July.

"Throughout this somewhat contentious custody battle," Frazier observed, "there's been one real constant, and that's been Britney's visitation has been pulled off without a hitch for the most part, until last (Thursday) night."

Spears has appeared increasingly out of control during the past year. She has been photographed without underwear and appeared to be drunk and out-of-control. She shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella and spent a month in rehab and has had a handful of fender benders, including one in which she ran over a photographer's foot.

Earlier Thursday, Spears appeared for a deposition in her custody dispute.

Spears was deposed for just 14 minutes, Federline attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan told reporters after Spears left.

Spears called in sick for a Dec. 12 court-ordered deposition, but was photographed that day driving with a friend. She also didn't show up for a session Wednesday, Kaplan said.

Spears' attorneys from the firm Trope and Trope on Wednesday filed a court motion asking to be relieved due to a "breakdown" in communication with their client.

Kaplan said Spears' attorneys were present for what became a very abbreviated session, which had been scheduled to last two hours.

"You can imagine in 14 minutes there's not a lot of time to develop questions," he said.

Kaplan said another deposition would be scheduled.

All in all, it "doesn't seem to be the behavior of someone who's really out there trying to get her kids back," in Touch Weekly Senior Editor Kim Serafin remarked to Chen on Friday. "But, here she is, fighting to keep her kids and not wanting to let Kevin get them back."

[henx2]

I am a 46 yr.old, middle class, housewife who was well grown when Britney Spears hit the spotlight. I really don''t care what she does and am not a "fan". What I AM, though, is disgusted with the media that would continue to hound this poor girl all under the guise that she chose to be a public figure and, as such, her life is public property. She is obviously ill and has been for some time. Whether it''s a mental break, alcohol or drugs is not for me or anyone else to decide. But as human beings we should be appalled by the behavior of the media and their intrusion into what is a terrible situation for Britney and her family. She needs help. Why does the media think the rest of the world wants to see her like this? And the sad part is that it''s everywhere, you can''t get away from it. I wish Britney well and to the media, SHAME ON YOU.

[kevzgrl]

To rational32: Where did you read/hear that he sent a security guard to GET the kids? The article says the guards were at the ER trying to keep out the media/block view - nothing about them going to her home. Wasn''t this a case of CUSTODY INTERFERENCE AND CONTEMPT OF COURT??? I think you are funny: "Britney needs to fire her lawyers who are not doing their job" Isn''t SHE the one who blew off the depositions and wouldn''t cooperate with THEM??? THEY fired HER for good reason - she is a train wreck in progress.

I never thought I would be standing up for Kevin Federline, but his ex has NEVER had ONE bad word to say about his parenting of the two children they had together, has she? The media/paparrazi are all over him too, but they have never found him out partying and acting crazy, especially not on the days when he has the children, now have they? I believe he sincerely wants what is best for the boys, and that is obviously NOT with this spoiled little princess who has no thought for anything except what SHE wants and THINKS she needs. What she really needs is to be forced into a REAL rehab, not that fakey, celebrity based cra-p so many of these out-of-control losers go to (see Lindsey drinking again on New Years). That''s the only way she is going to get any better.

[cathyoh]

Shame on ET and CBS! You are part of the papparrazzi that hound these people. And I can''t believe the anchor said...How did she leave the hospital when so many people are"so concerned" about her?...You aren''t concerned about her. You want a story. It turns my stomach to see reporters forcing their cameras up to ambulance windows. This isn''t news, folks! It''s voyeurism...a little below Peeping Toms! I can''t believe the Early Show tried to pass this off as journalism.

[susan360]

she slept with someone''s husband then shot her in the face...then she has the nerve to write a book and get money and publicity out of the whole fiasco.


She endangered HUMAN lives, she doesn''t deserve the sentence VIck may get but she needs to spend some time behind bars.

I don''t believe in animal cruelty but the government is trying to throw the book at Vick, in a time where celebrities get 2 day sentences why is he up for 18 years?

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[tnvanna1]

I forgot to mention the "feeding frenzy" of the Sharks (media) who are the only ones pocketing money on behalf of the celebrities targeted. Something needs to be legislated to stop this shark attack.

[tnvanna1]

I''m just curious, how many of us could be put under the type of scrutiny that poor Brittany Spears has been under and come out looking like a "saint"?

To me, it seems the papparatzi is allowed unlimited access to private lives, and without legislation, it will increase to the point where more people are injured or killed! (ie Princess Diana)

If Brittany Spears could see my comment, it would be to tell her how sorry I am for the current media frenzy, as it all results for money in the hands of those that don''t have to pay the consequences.

TNVanna

[josiehood]

uh...since i dont keep up with this, werent both of her boys born after the parents got divorced? odd...odd...odd...

[grammawhamma]

I''m afraid Britney will end up dead soon. The paparazzi and the media need to leave her alone. Just goes to show that money does not buy happiness. Fame comes with a price...sometimes it can even cost you your life.

[ekucrew]

....banjo music playing.........

Next on Jerry Springer Brit and K-Fed''s dog walker gives details!

[jetranger7]

What Brittany really needs is me !!! Somebody that will put her in her place, make her grow up, and face reality and make her raise her kids, somebody who doesn''t drink or do drugs, and knows about hard work ! 1st thing she''d do is mover her azz out of La to idaho somewhere, and get a legit job, and relearn how to actually work and be responsible, no more partying and doing what she wants to do, no more nannies either, no more mansions, no fancy cars, just good ol'' fashioned raising growing up and getting rid of her loser friends and minding her business and raising her kids right, thats whats in order- NO Exceptions !!!! Now- write me a check brittany for that advice, 100-million be fine- bye !!!!!