Funeral Home Owner Accused Of Leaking Whitney Houston's Casket Photo Receives Threats

The owner of the funeral home that handled Whitney Houston's remains is said to be 'devastated' that a photo apparently showing the singer lying in an open casket was leaked to the National Enquirer.

It is believed the picture was taken inside the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, New Jersey, where Whitney's family attended a private wake last Friday on the eve of her funeral.

But Carolyn Whigham , who owns the business, says neither she nor her staff is responsible.

'We did not take that photo. We did not sell the photo. We would never do something like that,' Whigham told the New York Daily News.


Whigham, who is a second-generation owner of the Whigham Funeral Home said she had a long-standing relationship with Houston.

'Whitney was a friend,' she said. 'I'm the one who flew to Los Angeles and got Whitney from the coroner's office. I did everything to protect her.'

The image shows the singer's body resting inside her partially open casket.

The National Enquirer has run the snap alongside a bold headline proclaiming: 'Whitney: The last photo!'

When the picture hit newstands, the business owner said she received a number of distressing emails from irate Houston fans and she now fears for her staff's safety.

'One email said that if the person owned a dog, and the dog died, they would not come to my funeral home,' she said.

'I'm worried about my employees, worried about me. I've been in business since 1943. This is my name, my character. Honestly, this is my life's work. We would never do something like this.'

Houston's mother Cissy and daughter Bobbi Kristina are said to be outraged about the photo.