Amanda Bynes placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold, source says

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By Asiya Ali

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Amanda Bynes was reportedly placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after being found roaming the streets naked and alone.

The 36-year-old actress - best known for starring in TV shows and films like Hairspray and The Amanda Show - is said to have been spotted walking near downtown Los Angeles in the early hours of Sunday morning, as reported by TMZ.

According to the outlet, an eyewitness stated that she flagged down a passing car and told the driver that she was "coming down from a psychotic episode," before calling 911 for herself.

The She's The Man star was reportedly then taken to a nearby police station where a mental health team chose to put her on a 5150 psychiatric hold.

As stated by The Treatment Specialist, 5150 is a legal action from the CA Welfare and Institutions Code that permits someone to be put through an obligatory three-day hold for mental health assessment, though this can be extended.

Bynes is said to be receiving treatment in the hospital following the incident and will remain there for several days. A source told TMZ that she was not harmed during the ordeal.

NBC News reported that the Easy A actress "hasn't been in contact with her family for quite some time," and her attorney said on March 20 he was not able to comment on the situation, per Today.

Bynes was scheduled to join the former All That cast for a reunion panel at That’s 4 Entertainment's annual convention on Saturday (March 18).

However, the day before, it was announced that she would no longer be in attendance. When the rest of the cast took the stage together, they briefly addressed her absence.

Kel Mitchell asked the audience to "send a prayer" to the actress "to feel better" and no further details about her health were revealed, as cited by The Independent.

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Amanda Bynes in 2009. Credit: CelebrityArchaeology.com / Alamy

Furthermore, the news of the psychiatric hold comes almost one year after a judge ended the What A Girl Wants actress' conservatorship after her plea to dissolve the contract was backed by her parents, Lynn and Rick Bynes.

The former child star had been in a personal conservatorship since 2013. Her conservatorship of the estate was then terminated in 2017.

She spoke about her new freedom in a statement through her attorney, David Esquibias, on March 22, 2022, writing: "In the last several years, I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter."

"I am excited about my upcoming endeavors - including my fragrance line - and look forward to sharing more when I can," she added, per Today.

We wish Bynes the best in her recovery!

Featured image credit: REUTERS / Alamy