Whitney Houston’s daughter found unconscious in bathtub, revived in hospital

Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only daughter of late pop star Whitney Houston and singer Bobby Brown, was found unresponsive in a bathtub at her Georgia home on Saturday, but she was revived after being rushed to a hospital, police said.

The incident comes nearly three years after Houston, a superstar who battled substance abuse, drowned in a bathtub in Beverly Hills, California, in February 2012. Authorities have said cocaine use and heart disease contributed to her death.

Brown, 21, was found at about 10:20 a.m. (1520 GMT) in the bathtub at her suburban Atlanta home by her husband and a friend, said Lisa Holland, public information officer for the Roswell Police Department.

Brown’s husband, Nick Gordon, started CPR and police continued life-saving measures until an ambulance arrived and took her to the hospital.

“She’s alive at the hospital,” Holland said. She gave no other details.

Brown was admitted to North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, a suburb north of Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

Hospital officials were not available for comment.

Brown married Gordon in January 2014. Gordon was also raised by Houston, one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, but she never formally adopted him. On Houston’s birthday last year, Gordon had his arm tattooed with a portrait of the late singer.

Houston, whose dozens of hit songs include “How Will I Know” and “I Will Always Love You,” was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston and a cousin of pop singer Dionne Warwick.

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s father, Bobby Brown, is a Grammy Award winner who started his career as frontman for the R&B group New Edition.

Both of Bobbi Kristina’s parents struggled with substance abuse, and Houston described their 15-year marriage, which ended in 2007, as drug- and alcohol-fueled. Bobby Brown was sentenced to 55 days in jail in 2013 after admitting to driving drunk in 2012.

Bobbi Kristina Brown was hospitalized twice with anxiety after her mother’s death.

She and her grandmother, Cissy Houston, and other relatives starred in a 14-episode reality show for cable channel Lifetime, “The Houstons: On Our Own,” about their struggle to cope after Houston’s death.

Brown’s Twitter feed over the past year included motivations to work out, quotes from celebrities on being true to oneself, loving messages for her husband and remembrances of her mother.

source: interaksyon.com

Whitney Houston's journey 'home' ends

Newark, New Jersey (CNN) -- Whitney Houston's journey "home" ended with a private burial in New Jersey on Sunday as questions persist about what caused the superstar's death.

A crowd gathered at the entrance to Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, south of Newark, where Houston's body arrived late Sunday morning. She was laid to rest next to her father in the cemetery.


Her burial brings an end to her "coming home," as her family dubbed the invitation-only memorial service held a day earlier at her childhood church in Newark.

The family-only burial is in contrast to the emotionally charged, star-studded memorial service held at New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston, nicknamed "Nippy," was soloing in the junior choir by age 11.



"Jesus Loves Me" was the last song Houston sang in public before her death on February 11 in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 48.

So it was fitting that the mourners -- comforted and encouraged by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly -- heard the simple, but powerful, "Jesus Loves Me," this time performed by CeCe Winans.

The mourners inside the church represented an amalgamation of Houston's life, from childhood friends to gospel singers, from music stars to movie stars.

"You literally felt like this was just a girl from New Jersey who had a few famous friends, and it was such a celebration of life," CNN producer Raelyn Johnson, who attended the funeral, said Sunday.

"It is the same church service that will go on in so many churches across the country this morning ... and it was celebration, it was singing, it was praise for three hours." Johnson said. "And it wasn't until the very end that you remembered that this was a funeral and a very sad day for a lot of people."

Kevin Costner, who cast Houston in her first role alongside him in "The Bodyguard," recalled how she questioned whether she was good enough, beautiful enough to be cast in the film.

"It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end," he said.

For her closest friends inside the church, and strangers who continue to draw inspiration from her voice, Costner's words hit a painfully honest note about human frailty.

Years after "The Bodyguard" hit theaters, reports of Houston's struggles with drug addiction and a rocky marriage with Bobby Brown surfaced and her album sales declined.

"The inexplicable burden that comes with fame," Costner said. "Call it doubt. Call it fear. I've had mine. I know the famous in the room have had theirs."

Costner said Houston's own story could help a new generation of young girls who dream big.

"Maybe they're thinking they aren't good enough," he said. "I think Whitney would tell you: Guard your bodies. Guard the precious miracle of your life. Then sing your hearts out, knowing that there's a lady in heaven who's making God himself wonder how He created something so perfect."

One of the most emotional moments in the service came when Keys recalled how Houston helped her and others achieve success.

"She reached back to so many people; she reached back to me, to Monica and Brandy ... and just made us feel strong and capable and loved," she said.

Keys ended her tribute to Houston by singing "Send Me an Angel," her voice soaring into the rafters of the sanctuary.

Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Spike Lee were among those who attended.

"It wasn't until the very last moment that you pinched yourself and said, 'There's Oprah Winfrey with a face full of tears, there's Tyler Perry with a face full of tears," said Johnson, recalling the moment that Houston's casket was carried out of the church. "It all really sunk in and got really, really heavy."

Houston's former husband, Bobby Brown, also arrived at the service but left soon after. Brown walked by Houston's casket with his head down before the service began and then left. Brown accused security of treating his family badly and barring him from visiting with his daughter, an account that Houston's family denied.

Brown was expected to attend with two guests but showed up with 10 people and sat in a section reserved for family, a close friend of the Houston family told CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

When Brown refused to reseat his entourage to make room for Houston's mother, the family asked police to intervene, the family member said.

Mourners heard only a few indirect references to her personal battles.

A close family friend told CNN recently that Houston had not used "hard drugs" for several years. Investigators are examining prescription drugs found in her hotel room.

At the time of her death, Houston was in the Los Angeles area for the annual Grammy Awards and was to attend a party hosted by her longtime mentor and record producer, Clive Davis. She was discovered dead in her hotel suite at the upscale Beverly Hilton.

Investigators are contacting doctors and pharmacies across the country, seeking answers about prescriptions found in Houston's hotel room and whether they played a role in her death, a source with knowledge of the investigation recently told CNN. The source spoke on condition of anonymity citing the ongoing investigation.

Houston's death certificate is only fueling speculation after coroners deferred making a determination as to the cause of death pending the outcome of toxicology tests.

The investigation also sparked questions on her behavior during her final days, with authorities examining video from her television appearances as well as other reports to determine her physical state leading up to her death on the eve of the Grammy Awards, the source said.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/19/showbiz/whitney-houston/index.html

Whitney Houston Death Hotel Guests Demand Refund ... Hotel REFUSES

Multiple guests staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel the day Whitney Houston died claim their stay was absolutely UNBEARABLE due to commotion surrounding the singer's death -- and the hotel has done nothing to address their dissatisfaction.

TMZ spoke with several guests who stayed on the 4th floor when Whitney died -- the same floor Whitney had been staying on -- and they tell us ... the entire floor was on lockdown over the weekend, making their lives miserable.

We're told guests couldn't walk down a hallway without being hassled for their key cards by hotel security -- to prove they were, in fact, guests of the hotel.

Worse ... we're told law enforcement and EMS were running all over the hotel all weekend, creating an intolerable ruckus -- making it impossible to get a moment's quiet, let alone sleep.

When guests asked the hotel to refund their money, or offer a discount -- we're told the hotel refused ... instructing guests to file an official complaint either online or at the hotel's front desk.

A rep for the Beverly Hilton tells TMZ, "Given the extraordinary nature of the events of last Saturday evening, The Beverly Hilton took every precaution to protect the privacy of the Houston Family as well as the hotel guests who may have been impacted by the incident."

The rep adds, "The hotel cooperated fully with the Beverly Hills police which included securing the fourth floor to insure the safety and well-being of all guests ... and regrets any inconvenience that may have occurred in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s events."

source: http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/19/whitney-houston-death-hotel-guests-refund/#.T0EIndn64zA

Fans to late pop idol Houston: 'We will always love you'

NEWARK — Fans of Whitney Houston paid last respects to their "homegirl" singer Saturday in the streets of Newark outside the church where her life and career were celebrated in a moving funeral service.

Some bore large pictures of their late idol, wore T-shirts with her image and sang the songs that made Houston one of the best-selling divas of all time.

One sign drew from Houston's lyrics to say, "We'll always love you, Whitney."


A gold hearse with a large "W" in the rear window rolled up to the New Hope Baptist Church, and Houston's casket was laid before some 1,500 mourners inside, while diehard fans gathered outside behind police barricades.

"This is a day in history for me and I just wanted to get as close to her as I could," said Tamecca Melvin, a Jersey City resident who remembered Houston before her days of stardom.

She was among many spectators remembering Houston from her childhood in the neighborhood, including her debut as a choir singer at the church where she was being memorialized.

"This was a tragic thing, and she was too young to go, she was too special to go," Melvin told AFP.

"I grew up with her, even though she was a megastar, she was a homegirl, she always kept that persona about her and I loved that about her," she said.

Houston died one week ago at age 48 in a Beverly Hills, California, hotel room. Although drugs are suspected as an factor, no official cause of death has been announced.

She dominated the pop and soul music scene in the 1980s and 1990s, selling more than 170 million records.

The streets immediately surrounding the red brick church were largely quiet Saturday after police blocked them off, but a crowd of hundreds of well-wishers formed beyond the barriers and the rows of TV cameras as a star-studded service took place inside.

Before the funeral service began, some fans left when police would allow them to approach no closer than two blocks from the church.

Others, like Melvin, stayed.

A few spectators began singing the words from Houston's smash hit, "I Will Always Love You," but the tune drifted off.

Elizabeth Wilson, another fan who waited beyond the police line, said, "It was the family decision. They wanted it to be private. We have to respect that."

Among guests at the funeral were civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, Motown legend Stevie Wonder, Grammy winner Alicia Keys, Houston's "Bodyguard" costar Kevin Costner, and her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick.

As music wafted from the church, some fans outside danced slowly in the streets.

A Philadelphia man brought a large drawing of Houston that he asked people attending the funeral to sign.

"She would not have wanted us to be sad," one spectator who identified herself as Cynthia told AFP. "We are mourning, but it is a celebration. It is a party to say 'We love you.'"

Nearby, James German, 48, said in a low voice, "Rest in peace, Whitney."

At a wake on the night before the funeral service, Houston's fans danced and sang to celebrate her life.

They also put up an impromptu memorial to Houston in front of the New Hope Baptist Church that included balloons, flowers and personal mementos. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel, officials said. She was 48.

The entertainer, whose incredible talent was discovered at an early age, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said.

Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent" and that the cause of her death is being investigated.

Houston's bodyguard found her body, said Courtney Barnes, publicist for hip-hop artist Ray J, who was dating the pop diva.

According to her official website, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. But she also struggled with addiction problems over the years.

Houston, whose hits included "The Greatest Love of All," died on the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She had performed as late as Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event in the area. A pre-Grammy party was scheduled Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton.

Music producer Jimmy Jam, after conversations with those heading up to Sunday's night show, told CNN that he believes the event will change significantly -- including a tribute to the singer.

The entertainer recently returned to a movie set for "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It is scheduled be released nationwide in August, according to Sony Pictures. It was her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife."

News of her death elicited a flood of reaction from fans and fellow celebrities alike.

Singer Aretha Franklin said, "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy (Houston's mother), her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown)."

Dolly Parton, who wrote "I Will Always Love You," said, "mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"

Another entertainment legend, Quincy Jones, said he was "absolutely heartbroken" by the news. "She was a true original and a talent beyond compare," he said.

Houston's body of work included a string of Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "The Greatest Love of All," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."

Billboard put her soundtrack to the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film with Kevin Costner. The soundtrack included the hit,"I Will Always Love You."

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/11/showbiz/whitney-houston-dead/index.html