Jamie Lynn Spears' daughter in 'extremely serious condition' following accident

Jamie Lynn Spears and her husband watched on in horror as their daughter Maddie's ATV flipped into a pond. The couple desperately tried to save her but couldn't free her from her safety belt. 

The eight-year-old was eventually rescued by paramedics and was rushed to hospital where she remains in a critical condition. 

Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said the accident occurred shortly before 3pm on Sunday (10am Monday NZDT) at the family home.

Maddie had been driving the Polaris ATV when she swerved to avoid a drainage ditch. That's when the vehicle flipped into the pond and immediately went under - trapping her underneath, according to the police report.

The entire incident took place in front of Maddie's horrified parents, Jamie Lee Spears, 25, and Jamie Watson.

Spears' rep issued a statement on Sunday after the crash saying, 'Right now the Spears family asks that everyone respect their privacy during this time and appreciates all the prayers and support for their family.'

Jamie Lynn was the lead actress on the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 from 2005 until 2008. 

She made headlines in 2007 when she became pregnant with Maddie at 16; the child, whose father is Jamie Lynn's ex Casey Aldridge, was born June 19, 2008.

The young mother opened up about the experience last year in a TLC documentary titled Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out.

'I look back now and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh',' she said. 'I was a child then. I needed to grow up outside of the world's view.'

She's since turned her attention toward a career in country music, putting out an EP titled The Journey three years ago.