Baby girl for Mel B

Updated 11.33 Tue Apr 03 2007

Keywords: paternity, Eddie Murphy, baby girl, Mel B

Ex-Spice Girl Mel B has reportedly given birth to a baby girl in California.

The 31-year-old was taken to hospital in Santa Monica at 5:30pm yesterday (1030am GMT) after her waters broke. The as-yet-unnamed baby girl was born just after midnight.

She now faces a paternity battle with Hollywood star Eddie Murphy who she claims is the father of the baby

A spokeswoman for the singer - whose real name is Melanie Brown - said: "The baby is completely healthy with a good head of hair. Mother and baby are now resting.

"No name has been decided on as yet, and she is purely known as Baby Brown."

She now faces a paternity battle with Hollywood star Eddie Murphy who she claims is the father of the baby.

The couple had a whirlwind romance last year but Murphy went on a TV show in December to announce their relationship was over. He said he would demand a paternity test to prove if he was the father of her child.

Mel reportedly said: "There is absolutely no question that Eddie is the father."

The singer already has an eight-year-old daughter from her former marriage with dancer Jimmy Gulzar.