Britney Spears' Niece Wakes Up After Horrific ATV Accident

Britney Spears’ 8-year-old niece Maddie is “awake and talking” after a horrific ATV accident Sunday at her family home in Kentwood, Louisiana.

Little Maddie, whose mother is Jamie Lynn Spears, regained consciousness Tuesday afternoon, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Department told People.com in a statement provided by the family.

Read: Jamie Lynn Spears' Daughter Seriously Injured in ATV Accident

“Paramedics resuscitated her and she was airlifted to a local hospital," the statement read. "She is aware of her surroundings and recognizes those family members who have kept a round-the-clock vigil since the accident.

"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."

A sheriff's report, obtained by Inside Edition, described the desperate effort by Jamie Lynn Spears and her stepfather to rescue her after the vehicle flipped into a pond on the family's property.

“Within seconds [they] dove in and attempted to rescue the child to no avail. The child was trapped and secured by the seatbelt and the ATVs safety netting,” the report said.

An ambulance got there within "two minutes."

Maddie was submerged in the water for several minutes, according to a family member, and was airlifted to a hospital in New Orleans. She is in "stable but critical condition.”

“Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece," Britney Spears wrote on Twitter Monday.

In the wake of the accident, some are asking whether Maddie should have been behind the wheel of the ATV by herself.

Read: 1 Hiker Dead, 4 Others Injured After Plunging Down Icy Mountain

The online instruction manual for the Polaris RZR 170 comes with the warning: "Never allow a child under age 10 to operate or ride as a passenger in this vehicle."

The company's safety video reiterates the warning, saying the machines are "designed and intended for use by children 10 years of age and older."

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