LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Pop star Britney Spears was resting at UCLA Medical Center on Thursday, her mother said, hours after police escorted her to the hospital from her Hollywood home.



Britney Spears, left, and her mother Lynne Spears pose at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.



A long convoy of police and a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance transported the 26-year-old singer to the hospital after midnight, acting on what the Los Angeles Times reported was a "mental evaluation hold."



It was the second hospitalization for Spears this month. The police operation was planned far in advance and, according to the L.A. Times, followed a phone call to police from Spears' psychiatrist.



Asked if her daughter was resting, mother Lynne Spears said "Yes" to a throng of reporters as she departed the medical center.  Watch scene at Spears' home »



The pop star's father Jamie Spears and her manager Sam Lufti also appeared at the hospital, neither choosing to speak to reporters.



The latest incident in the troubled performer's saga began about 12:55 a.m. on Thursday when the North Hollywood Police Department sent about eight officers to Spears' hilltop house in Studio City, California, according to a law enforcement official, who asked not to be identified because he's not authorized to comment publicly.  See Spears timeline »



The group at Spears' house included plainclothes officers, motorcycle police, ambulance crews and some police "brass," the official said.



It took the better part of the day to arrange the transport plan, the officer said.



On January 3, Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she reportedly underwent a psychological evaluation.  Watch how mental evaluations work »



Andrew Blankstein, a Los Angeles Times reporter who was at the scene of Thursday's incident, told CNN that a police convoy, stretching the length of a football field, accompanied the ambulance as it drove down Coldwater Canyon Boulevard -- in part to keep the paparazzi from getting too close.  Watch police motorcade at Spears' home »



Spears was whisked out a side entrance to her house.



"You couldn't really see what was going on [when officers first swept into the residence] but on the police radio, there was some reference to 'The package is on the way out,' 'We're leaving now. Go, go, go,'" Blankstein said.



A few hours earlier, two officers were sent to investigate a report of a large group gathered outside the singer's home, said David Grimes, watch commander for the west division of the Los Angeles Police Department.



The two officers found 20 to 25 people near the house around 11 p.m. Wednesday and they asked them to leave, he said.



ABC-TV host Barbara Walters reported on Monday's "The View" that she had been contacted by Spears' manager and "good friend," Lufti, who told her the pop star has seen a psychiatrist and "is suffering from what he describes as mental issues which are treatable," according to The Associated Press.  Watch experts discuss Spears' behavioral issues »



During Spears' earlier hospitalization, in addition to the psychological evaluation, she was examined for possible influence of alcohol or drugs. Police had been called to her home that night to mediate a custody dispute.  A day later, a California court refused to grant Spears visitation rights with her two children -- Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1 -- at least until mid-February.



Spears has been in a heated dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline over custody of their sons. Federline, Spears' former backup dancer, holds primary custody of the children.



Spears has been in trouble with the court earlier concerning her compliance with court orders in the custody case.



After filing for divorce in November 2006, Spears was frequently seen enjoying Hollywood nightlife. Her behavior became increasingly erratic; in February 2007, she shaved her head as paparazzi looked on, then spent a month in rehab. E-mail to a friend
WHo was placed on a hold? What did the mom say? What troubled pop star is resting? Who was placed on mental health evaluation hold? What was Spears placed on? Who is being held for a mental health evaluation? How many times has the singer has been taken to a hospital? Who called the police? Who made the call to police? How many times has she been taken to the hospital recently?
Britney Spears Lynne Spears said "Yes" Britney Spears Britney Spears "mental evaluation hold." Spears second hospitalization Spears' psychiatrist. Spears' psychiatrist. second hospitalization
question: WHo was placed on a hold?, answer: Britney Spears | question: What did the mom say?, answer: Lynne Spears said "Yes" | question: What troubled pop star is resting?, answer: Britney Spears | question: Who was placed on mental health evaluation hold?, answer: Britney Spears | question: What was Spears placed on?, answer: "mental evaluation hold." | question: Who is being held for a mental health evaluation?, answer: Spears | question: How many times has the singer has been taken to a hospital?, answer: second hospitalization | question: Who called the police?, answer: Spears' psychiatrist. | question: Who made the call to police?, answer: Spears' psychiatrist. | question: How many times has she been taken to the hospital recently?, answer: second hospitalization