Los Angeles (E! Online) - So much for a 72-hour hold.
After a little more than 24 hours at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, E! News has confirmed that Britney Spears has been released from the hospital, despite previous reports that she was to be held under a minimum three-day lockdown.
Shortly after her admittance via ambulance just after midnight Thursday, the singer was placed on a 5150 hold, meaning medical workers had determined she posed a danger either to herself or others. As a result, she was to be held for 72 hours, during which time she was to undergo a battery of physical and psychological tests.
However, medical officials have the authority to lift the hold at any time during a patients stay, should they be determined to no longer pose a threat. Spears early release indicates she was granted the medical and psychological all-clear.
According to The Insider, Spears made her exit from Cedars-Sinai early Saturday morning via an underground tunnel at the facility. The show also reports that none other than Dr. Phil McGraw was on hand to escort the singer off the premises.
My meeting with Britney and some family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention, the TV doctor told Entertainment Tonight, adding that his being at the hospital when she was released was merely coincidence.
She was released moments before my arrival and was packing when I entered the room. We visited for about an hour before I walked with her to her car.
Spears is now back at her Studio City home with father Jamie Spears.
News of her release comes in the wake of confirmation from Spears pal Sam Lutfi that the 26-year-old was doing much better than she had been during the precipitating hours-long custody standoff.
She is doing a lot better than Thursday night, shes reached out to her mom and Jamie Lynn and theyve been in constant contactthey have shown wonderful support, Lufti told E! News Jason Kennedy exclusively Friday night, adding that Spears would not be at the hospital for any longer than the hold required of her.
Its unclear if any of Spears supportive family members were on hand for her release early Saturday.
Father Jamie is the only official family member to be caught by paparazzi entering Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which he did early Friday morning, along with Lutfi. According to People, her mother Lynne and sister Jamie Lynn have remained in their hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana.
While Kevin Federline was also present at the hospital when his 26-year-old ex-wife was first being admitted for a battery of physical and psychological tests, Lutfi made clear that Federline was only there to check on his children, Sean Preston and Jayden James, the latter of whom was also briefly checked out by doctors--as is standard for children in the wake of such a traumatic experience--before given the medical okay.
He was not, as has been reported, there to visit Spears. When asked if the 29-year-old father had seen or spoken to the singer since Thursday nights incident, Lutfi gave E! News a quite adamant, No!
As for what specifically went down Thursday night, Lutfi offered no new specifics on the standoff that culminated in Spears locking herself in a room with one-year-old son Jayden and ended with the Gimme More singer being transported via ambulance to Cedars-Sinai.
However, he did say that he believed the media and legal circus that resulted from the evening was mishandled but that he did not begrudge the LAPD for following protocal, saying the officers remained at the Studio City home for so long because they wanted to make sure they were following proper procedure and abiding by the court documents.
Still, he said he wished that the whole situation was handled better.
