Bobbi Kristina Brown

Bobbi Kristina Brown

Brown (left) performing with mother Whitney Houston at the Good Morning America Concert in Central Park in 2009
Born (1993-03-04)March 4, 1993
Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.
Died July 26, 2015(2015-07-26) (aged 22)
Duluth, Georgia, U.S.
Cause of death Cardiac arrest induced by immersion and undetermined intoxication
Resting place Fairview Cemetery
Westfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Other names Krissy; Bobbi Kris
Occupation Reality television personality, actress, singer
Years active 1998–2015
Known for Only child of Whitney Houston
Partner(s) Nick Gordon (2012–15; her death)
Parent(s) Whitney Houston
Bobby Brown
Relatives

Bobbi Kristina "Krissy" Brown (March 4, 1993 – July 26, 2015) was an American reality television and media personality, singer, and actress. She was the daughter of singers Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. Her parents' fame kept Bobbi Kristina in the public eye, including her appearances on the reality show Being Bobby Brown. Brown was 14 when her parents divorced and Houston gained custody.[1] When Houston died in February 2012, Brown was named as the sole beneficiary of her mother's estate.

That October, Brown caused controversy within both of her parents' families when she announced her engagement to Nick Gordon, a man she previously considered her "big brother". When the couple announced they were married, her father's lawyer released a statement disputing the report.

Brown was found unresponsive in a bathtub in late January 2015. She was kept in a medically induced coma for several months; she died in hospice care on July 26, 2015, at the age of 22.

Early life

Bobbi Kristina "Krissy" Brown was born on March 4, 1993, in Livingston, New Jersey, to singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown.[2] Brown's family includes maternal grandmother Cissy Houston of The Drinkard Singers. Her mother's cousins are Dee Dee Warwick; Dionne Warwick, mother of Damon Elliott;[3] and Leontyne Price.[4] Her uncle is Gary Garland, her mother's half-brother.[3] Through her father, Brown had five half-siblings: Landon, La'Princia, Robert "Bobby" Jr., Cassius,[5] and Bodhi.[6] Her godmother is gospel singer CeCe Winans.[7]

Brown's childhood was characterized by the media as difficult because of her parents' drug problems, the presence of paparazzi, and domestic violence issues.[8] She was brought into the spotlight at age one in 1994, when her mother accepted an American Music Award while holding her onstage, and Brown's childhood remained public because of her parents' fame. Her vocals were featured in her mother's 1998 song, My Love Is Your Love, for her album of the same title. When her mother brought her to the recording studio and held her up to the microphone, she said "Sing, mommy.", which can be heard during the first verse of the song. She can also be heard saying "Clap your hands!" at the end of the track. Brown was featured in her mother's 2003 Holiday album in her mother's version of The Little Drummer Boy. When Brown's parents divorced in 2007, her mother was awarded custody, though her father still had visitation rights.[9][10]

Adult life

Brown's mother died in a hotel bathtub in 2012, from what was later ruled an accidental drowning with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.[11] Brown was described as "inconsolable" and a few days later was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles because of what a family friend described as Brown being "overwhelmed".[12][13] The month after Whitney Houston's death, in March 2012, Brown said that she felt her mother's spirit, and Brown expressed her intent to carry on her mother's legacy by doing the "singing thing," along with starting a career as an actor and dancer.[14]

In accordance with her mother's will, Brown was the beneficiary of Houston's entire estate including clothing, jewelry, cars, personal effects, and furniture.[15] The will also provided for Brown to receive trust fund payments in installments until she reached age 30, after which time she was to receive the remainder of Houston's $115-million estate.[16]

After her mother's death, Brown was taken care of by her uncle and aunt, Gary Garland and his wife, Pat Houston.

In October 2012, Brown announced her engagement to Nick Gordon, a close family friend who had come to live in the Houston household when he was 12 years old.[17] The announcement caused controversy within the family;[18][lower-alpha 1] before making their romantic involvement known, Brown had referred to Gordon as her "big brudder".[20] Brown's grandmother, Cissy Houston, had called the relationship "incestuous" when they were initially dating;[21] however, Brown said the couple received her grandmother's blessing prior to their engagement.[22] In early 2014, Brown and Gordon announced they had married on January 9 of that year.[23] Bobby Brown's lawyer said in a statement in early 2015, "Bobbi Kristina is not and has never been married to Nick Gordon".[9]

Brown was critical of director Angela Bassett after learning she had not been cast as her mother in the Lifetime biographical movie Whitney based on Houston's life. In response, Bassett stated that she did not cast Brown "for a number of reasons...she's not an actress, and acting is a craft."[24] Brown later apologized to Bassett on Twitter after generating controversy amongst fans.[25]

Throughout her teenage and adult years, Brown was the focus of tabloid and gossip column speculation, including stories about her purported drug use, her weight loss, and her relationships with family members.[26][27][28]

Coma and death

On January 31, 2015, Gordon and a friend found Brown face down in a bathtub in her Georgia home.[29] Gordon began CPR until emergency medical services personnel arrived. According to a police spokeswoman, Brown was alive and breathing after being transported to North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, Georgia.[13] She further stated they found no evidence to indicate the incident was caused by drugs or alcohol.[30] Doctors placed Brown in a medically induced coma after determining her brain function was "significantly diminished", and her family was told any meaningful recovery would be "a miracle".[31]

On February 2, Brown was moved to Emory University Hospital, where she remained in a coma and on a medical ventilator. Her family said Brown had briefly opened her eyes, but a medical expert commented, "Blinking her eyes doesn't mean she's out of the woods."[32]

Despite media reports stating Brown was brain dead and had been taken off life support, her family denied the claims on February 5, after having asked for privacy earlier in the week.[33] In late February, she was briefly taken out of the coma, but the coma was reinduced after she suffered seizures.[34]

During a radio interview on March 25, 2015, Brown's grandmother, Cissy Houston said Brown's condition remained the same and that there was "still not a great deal of hope. We're praying."[35] Brown was moved to an Atlanta rehabilitation facility in March 2015.[36] After Bobby Brown told concert-goers in April that his daughter was "awake", Cissy Houston released a statement saying her granddaughter was no longer in a medically induced coma, but remained unresponsive. Doctors said Brown had "global and irreversible brain damage".[37]

In June 2015, Bobby Brown arranged to have his daughter flown to Chicago to be seen by specialists, only to be told that nothing could be done.[38] She was flown back to Atlanta, and moved to Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth, Georgia, on June 24.[39] Her aunt, Pat Houston, subsequently stated that Bobbi Kristina's condition had continued to deteriorate.[40]

Brown died in hospice care on July 26, 2015, at the age of 22. The initial autopsy found no "obvious underlying cause of death and no significant injuries were noted", and the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office said more tests were forthcoming.[41] A statement released by the family thanked "everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months."[29] Several prominent celebrities offered their condolences, including Chris Brown[42] Oprah Winfrey,[43] and Whitney Houston protegées Brandy and Monica. Funeral services were held August 1, 2015, at St. James United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.[44] Brown was buried two days later next to her mother at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey.[45]

Autopsy report

The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office announced on September 25, 2015, that it had "classified the cause and manner of Bobbi Kristina Brown’s death", while citing a Superior Court order that prevented the office from releasing any details to the public. The findings were provided to the Fulton County District Attorney and to Roswell Police.[46]

On March 3, 2016, Fulton County Circuit Court Judge Henry Newkirk granted a motion, requested by local media, to unseal the autopsy report on Brown's death.[47] In doing so, the judge noted that "13 months have gone by, and I don't think there is any thing particularly earth shattering in the report. ... Privacy interest does not exist to the deceased."[48]

The Medical Examiner's office stated they would release the report upon official receipt of the granted motion,[48] and gave an initial statement on March 3, 2016. The office indicated that it used both medical records and police investigative files to arrive at a determination.

Music

Performances and releases
Year Song Album Notes
1998 "My Love Is Your Love" N/A Live duet with Whitney Houston at concert in Poland[50]
1999 "My Love Is Your Love" N/A Live duet with Whitney Houston featuring Treach at the Divas Live '99 concert[51]
2003 "Little Drummer Boy" One Wish: The Holiday Album[52] Featured singer with Whitney Houston
2007 "Family First" Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls Soundtrack Studio recording featuring family
2009 "My Love Is Your Love" N/A Live duet with Whitney Houston at the Good Morning America Concert in Central Park on September 1, 2009[53]
2012 "I'm Your Baby Tonight" N/A Performed on The Houstons: On Our Own[54]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005 Being Bobby Brown[55] Herself
2009 The Oprah Winfrey Show[56] Herself Episode: "Whitney Houston"
2012 Oprah's Next Chapter[57] Herself
2012 The 2012 Billboard Music Awards[58] Herself
2012 The Houstons: On Our Own[55] Herself
2012 Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse[59] Tina the receptionist[60]

Notes

  1. ↑ In April 2014, Marion "Pat" Houston—Whitney's sister-in-law—was granted a one-year restraining order against Gordon after claiming he had sent threatening photographs and messages.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Bennett, Anita (July 26, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown, Daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Dead at 22". TheWrap. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ Speidel, Maria (March 22, 1993). "Passages". People. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Remling, Amanda (February 12, 2012). "Whitney Houston's Mother: Who Is Cissy Houston?". International Business Times. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ Warwick, Dionne (2010). My Life, as I See It. New York City: Atria Books. pp. 92–93. ISBN 978-1-4391-7134-9.
  5. ↑ "Bobby Brown Marries In Hawaii ...". ABC News. June 19, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ Bacardi, Francesca (July 16, 2015). "Bobby Brown and Wife Alicia Etheridge-Brown Name Their Daughter Bodhi Jameson Rein!". E! News. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ Decurtis, Anthony (February 12, 2012). "Whitney Houston Opens Up About Her Marriage, Fame". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  8. ↑ Emery, Debbie (February 19, 2012). "Who Is Bobbi Kristina Brown? The Daughter Behind Whitney Houston's Legacy". Radar Online. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  9. 1 2 McShane, Larry (February 3, 2015). "Wait, What? Nick Gordon and Bobbi ...". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Why Did Whitney File For Divorce?". Jet. 110 (13): 65. October 2, 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Blankstein, Andrew; Sewell, Abby (April 5, 2012). "Whitney Houston: Cocaine In System Not a Fatal Dose ...". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  12. ↑ Belton, Danielle C. (February 2, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown: A Timeline of Turmoil and Tragedy". The Root. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Botelho, Greg; Newsome, John (February 3, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown Move to New Hospital Amid Fight for Life". CNN. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  14. ↑ Fleeman, Mike (March 12, 2012). "Bobbi Kristina: Mom Whitney Houston Talks to Me in Spirit". People.com.
  15. ↑ "Whitney Houston's will: Bobbi Kristina is the heiress". Los Angeles Times. March 7, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  16. ↑ McShane, Larry (February 1, 2015). "Bobbi Brown, Daughter of Whitney Houston, Rushed to Hospital". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina, "Brother" Nick Gordon Defend Relationship: "It's Not Incest"". Us Weekly. October 25, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  18. ↑ Associated Press; Gutierrez, Gabe; Helsel, Phil (February 3, 2014). "Attorneys Investigating Bobbi Kristina Brown Bathtub Incident". NBC News. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  19. ↑ Tauber, Michelle (February 4, 2015). "Houston Family Had Filed Restraining Order Against Nick Gordon in 2014". People. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  20. ↑ Fisher, Luchina (March 9, 2012). "Whitney Houston's 'Secret' Son?". ABC News. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Whitney Houston's Family Is Fighting - Is Estate Money To Blame?". Forbes. March 31, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  22. ↑ Erich Dowd, Kathy (January 11, 2014). "Bobbi Kristina Brown: Marriage to Nick Gordon Is 'Exactly What My Mom Wanted'". People. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Newlyweds Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon Open Up About Marriage for the First Time". Extra!. January 30, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina Blasts Angela Bassett Over Whitney Houston Biopic". The Huffington Post. July 1, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina Brown Apologizes to Angela Bassett". BET. July 3, 2014.
  26. ↑ Tauber, Michelle (February 3, 2015). "Were Drugs Involved with Bobbi Kristina Brown's Near-Drowning?". People. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  27. ↑ Eggenberger, Nicole (March 12, 2014). "Bobbi Kristina Brown Defends Her Skinny Bikini Photo: "I Am My Mother's Child!"". US Magazine. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  28. ↑ Maresca, Rachel (February 5, 2013). "Bobbi Kristina slams grandmother Cissy Houston's tell-all on late mother Whitney Houston". NY Daily News. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  29. 1 2 Respers France, Lisa (July 26, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown dies at 22". CNN. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  30. ↑ Botelho, Greg; Newsome, John (January 31, 2015). "Whitney Houston's Daughter 'Still Alive and Breathing' in Hospital, Police Say". CNN. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  31. ↑ Helling, Steve (February 1, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown Recovery Would Be a Miracle". People. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina Brown moved to Emory University Hospital". WXIA-TV. February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015 – via First Coast News.
  33. ↑ Oldenburg, Ann (February 6, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown is 'not brain dead'". USA Today. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
       Messer, Lesley (February 5, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown Was Not Taken Off Life Support, a Family Source Says". ABC News. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina Brown Suffers 'Violent Seizures' After Being Taken Out of Coma". People. February 25, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  35. ↑ Sutyak, Kara (March 25, 2015). "Cissy Houston breaks silence on Bobbi Kristina Brown's condition". Fox 8 Cleveland. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  36. ↑ Lewittes, Michael (March 21, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown moved from hospital to rehab center, still on life support". MSN Entertainment. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  37. ↑ Finn, Natalie (April 20, 2015). "Cissy Houston: Granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown No Longer in a Coma but Has "Irreversible Brain Damage"". E! News. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  38. ↑ Friedman, Roger (June 27, 2015). "Exclusive: Bobby Brown's Last Ditch Effort to Save Bobbi Kristina: Flew Her to Chicago Experts". Showbiz411. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  39. ↑ Brett, Jennifer (June 25, 2015). "Bobby Brown, family members gather at Bobbi Kristina's hospice". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  40. ↑ Rothman, Michael (June 24, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown Moved to Hospice Care". ABC News. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Press Release: Bobbi Kristina Brown". Fulton County Medical Examiner. July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  42. ↑ Brown, Chris (July 27, 2015). "RIP BOBBI KRISTINA! ...". Twitter (confirmed official). Retrieved July 27, 2015. RIP BOBBI KRISTINA! My heart goes out to the family. People please be respectful and understanding to their privacy.
  43. ↑ Koziol, Michael (July 27, 2015). "Bobbi Kristina Brown dead: stars react to Whitney Houston family tragedy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 27, 2015. Peace at Last! #BobbiKristina
  44. ↑ Boehm, Mike (August 1, 2015). "Family feud brews at Bobbi Kristina Brown's funeral". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Burial in NJ Monday for Bobbi Kristina Brown". myfoxny.com. August 3, 2015.
  46. ↑ Sands, Nicole (September 26, 2015). "Medical Examiner Holds Bobbi Kristina's Final Autopsy Results Per Court Order". People. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  47. ↑ Karimi, Faith (4 March 2016). "Bobbi Kristina Brown's autopsy results to be unsealed, judge rules". Atlanta: CNN. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  48. 1 2 Milligan, Mandi; Sims, Vince (3 March 2016). "Bobbi Kristina Brown's autopsy expected to be released". WGCL-TV (CBS46). Fulton County, Georgia: Meredith Corporation. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  49. 1 2 "Bobbi Kristina Brown's cause of death revealed". BBC News.
  50. ↑ "Whitney Houston (with Bobbi-Kristina) live Poland 1999 - My Love is Your Love (HD)". YouTube. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  51. ↑ "Whitney Houston fT Bobbi Kristina & 'Treach': My Love Is Your Love". YouTube. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  52. ↑ Mitchell, Gail. Artist Factory Production Up. Billboard. p. 21. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  53. ↑ "Whitney Houston "My Love is Your Love" featuring Bobbi Kristina in Central Park". YouTube. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  54. ↑ "Bobbi Kristina Tries Singing, Following In Whitney Houston's Footsteps". MTV. November 28, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  55. 1 2 Ellis, Ralph (January 31, 2015). "Whitney Houston's daughter in medically induced coma, source says". CNN. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  56. ↑ "Whitney Houston Tells All". Harpo Productions. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  57. ↑ Gonzalez, John (March 11, 2012). "Watch Oprah Winfrey interview Bobbi Kristina on OWN's 'Oprah's Next Chapter'". MLive. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  58. ↑ Kirby, Iona (May 21, 2012). "'There will never be another one': Bobbi Kristina Brown delivers touching tribute to Whitney Houston at Billboard Awards". Daily Mail. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  59. ↑ Carlson, Erin (June 26, 2012). "Tyler Perry on Whitney Houston's Daughter Bobbi Kristina: 'That Kid Has a Such a Future'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  60. ↑ Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2014). Historical Dictionary of African American Television. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 77. ISBN 9780810879171.

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