AceShowbiz - Country star Mindy McCready has launched a lawsuit against her mother in a bid to stop her talking to the press. The star, who has a history of alcohol and drug abuse, was reportedly found passed out at her mother's home in Fort Myers, Florida on Tuesday morning, May 25, sparking speculation she'd taken an overdose.

Her mum, Gayle, called for help, suggesting the singer had attempted to commit suicide. Paramedics arrived and McCready was transported to Cape Coral Hospital. The singer's spokesman, Brent Young, has since played down the incident, revealing McCready simply experienced a bad reaction to the pain pills she had been prescribed after breaking her toe on Sunday, May 23 and her mum had simply "overreacted".

Now McCready has filed papers claiming her mum, Gayle, gave her four Darvocet pills and later claimed she had tried to commit suicide in a bid to ruin her custody chances with her son. McCready lost custody of four-year-old Zander in 2007 after she was jailed for violating probation by allegedly assaulting her mum in a fight over the singer's drinking and drug addictions. Just days ago she was given permission to reopen custody proceedings.

In the papers, obtained by TMZ, McCready's representatives claim her mother gave out "erroneous information to the media... to sabotage her reunification efforts with her son." McCready wants custody of Zander to be taken away from her mum and given to her father while she battles for custody rights because she allegedly fears for the boy's safety. She's also seeking a gag order to be placed on her mum.