LOS ANGELES [Peter Paul Media] — Whitney Houston, who once stood where no other female singer stood before but was later haunted by drug use and questionable behavior, died Saturday at a Beverly Hills hotel, officials said. She was 48.
“At 3:55 p.m. this afternoon, Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,” Beverly Hills police detective Lt. Mark Rosen told reporters during a brief statement. “She has been positively identified by friends, family and co-workers that were with her at the hotel.” A 911 call had been placed at 3:43 p.m.
Houston’s family released a statement after the official news broke, saying: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends.”
Houston’s autopsy was completed Sunday but the results will not be released for at least another week pending toxicology reports. Officials said there were no signs of foul play and that investigators were working on a search warrant for the hotel room, located on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Known for her silky smooth voice, her life is surely to be remembered for the music she created and racial barriers broken and not the personal problems that plagued her since she divorced singer Bobby Brown in 2007.
Brown, who went ahead with a planned Saturday performance shortly after news broke of Houston’s death, appeared distraught later asking audience members to pray for him and his family. His band, New Edition, was scheduled to perform in Mississippi on Sunday without Brown.
Bobbi Kristina, 18, the only child of Houston and Brown, was released from hospital Sunday after being admitted for stress-related issues. Unconfirmed reports said Kristina suffered a nervous breakdown. She had been denied access to see her mother’s remains when she arrived at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday. Other visitors were also denied access.
Houston’s record-breaking career peaked from the 1980s to the mid-1990s resulting in two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards and 30 Billboard Music Awards. She later starred in “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale” during her big screen career and will be remembered for her beautiful voice and the classic music she created.
Peter Paul Media 