Britney Spears was sprung from a Los Angeles psych ward yesterday – and her parents said they now fear for her life.
Her release ended nearly a week of forced treatment for her self-destructive mood swings.
While the pop wreck’s ambulance ride to UCLA Medical Center last week was a cast-of-thousands Hollywood production involving police cars and helicopters, she quietly slipped out yesterday, with estranged dad Jamie Spears taking her home to Beverly Hills.
Britney was later spotted being chased down the streets of LA by a flock of paparazzi, which was caught in OJ-esque fashion by TV helicopters.
The pop tart was then picked up by boyfriend Adnan Ghalib at the Beverly Hills Hotel, PageSix.com reported.
While at the hotel, Brit crossed paths with California’s first lady Maria Shriver, according to the TV show “Extra.” Annoyed by the horde of paparazzi following the singer, Shriver reportedly remarked to a friend, “There oughta be a law against those guys.”
Britney was originally pegged for a 72-hour commitment in the mental ward before doctors extended it by an additional 14 days. But she ended up spending only a little more than six days there.
In a statement given to The Associated Press, Jamie and Lynne Spears said their daughter was discharged over the recommendation of the shrink who treated her.
People magazine said on its web site that a court official held a hearing at the hospital, then decided there was “no just cause” to keep her there.
The parents said Britney was suffering a “a mental health crisis,” adding, “we were extremely disappointed . . . to learn that over the recommendation of her treating psychiatrist . . . Britney was released from the hospital that could best care for her and keep her safe.
“We are deeply concerned about our daughter’s safety and vulnerability, and we believe her life is presently at risk.”
While Britney was confined to the hospital, her father convinced a judge to put him in charge of her finances until she gets better.
Jamie and attorney Andrew Wallete have been granted temporary control of her assets.
The parents’ statement said, “There are conservatorship orders . . . created to protect our daughter that are being blatantly disregarded.”
A judge has appointed a psychiatrist to determine if Britney is capable of understanding the legal proceedings involving her.
The same judge issued a restraining order against Britney’s BFF and self-styled manager, Osama “Sam” Lutfi, and put on hold the bitter custody battle between her and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.
Lynne Spears won a restraining order against Lutfi, telling a judge the Britney hanger-on held a Svengali-like control over her daughter.
Lutfi also slipped anti-psychotic pills into Britney’s food and verbally abused her to keep her in line, according to Lynne.
The case against Lutfi is not the first of its kind. LA businesswoman Jumana Issa won a restraining order against him in 2005 for a series of vicious messages he left her.
In court papers, Issa claimed Lutfi relentlessly harassed her in a business dispute.
In one faxed message, Lutfi raged, “Put the Krispy Kreme down and lay off the tight skirts that don’t fit and answer your e-mails and faxes. I know it’s hard to stay away from the donuts and try to do your job.”
Both Issa and Lutfi declined comment.
With Terry Schermerhorn in LA and Post Wire Services