Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter Maddie regains consciousness after accident
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This Nov. 1, 2016 file photo shows Jamie Lynn Spears at 64th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville, Tenn. (AP)
The 8-year-old daughter of actress and singer Jamie Lynn Spears is “awake and talking,” a rep for the Spears family revealed on Tuesday afternoon.
Spears’ daughter Maddie was injured when an all-terrain vehicle she was driving fell into a pond in Louisiana on Sunday.
“With her father, mother and stepfather by her side, Maddie regained consciousness mid-day Tuesday, February 7,” the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Department told People magazine in a statement provided by a Spears family rep.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The statement explained the child “is aware of her surroundings and recognizes those family members who have kept a round-the-clock vigil since the accident.”
The update on Maddie’s condition revealed the niece of Britney Spears was temporarily on a ventilator.
“Doctors were able to remove the ventilator today and she is awake and talking. Maddie continues to receive oxygen and is being monitored closely but it appears that she has not suffered any neurological consequences from the accident.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Britney Spears tweeted Monday, "Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece."
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office said the child was submerged inside the ATV and family members who were nearby couldn't free her from a seatbelt and the safety netting until an ambulance service arrived and pulled her out.
On Monday, a publicist for Jamie Lynn Spears said the family is asking for people to "respect their privacy during this time and appreciates all the prayers and support for their family."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jamie Lynn Spears became pregnant with Maddie at the age of 16 while she was still the star of Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101," causing tabloid fodder. Spears subsequently shied away from the spotlight but began recording country music in recent years and performing.
"She’s got such a sweet little heart," Jamie Lynn Spears told People magazine of Maddie in a June 2016 interview. "I feel like I’ve raised her with a lot of honesty, but I’ve also raised her with a lot of love. She’s a very happy, content little girl, and there’s nothing more a parent could ask for. That’s my most proud accomplishment out of anything and always will be."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.