Carolyn Whigham, the owner of Whitney Houston’s funeral home has said that she knows who leaked the photo of the singer’s body in open casket to the press.

Carolyn Whigham, CEO of the Whigham Funeral Home, told reporters that it was up to the Houston family to name the individual behind the photograph, which showed Whitney Houston in her casket and appeared on the front cover of US tabloid National Enquirer last month.

The business owner insisted that she, her vice president daughter Karalynn and manager Terri Fields were “the only three people who saw Whitney Houston”.

Carolyn Whigham said that none of her staff had come in close contact with Whitney Houston’s body, which “was always on the lower level under lock and key”.

She added that security personnel guarding Whitney Houston’s body, who slept in the building prior to her funeral on February 18, had not been hired by the home.

Carolyn Whigham, the owner of Whitney Houston's funeral home has said that she knows who leaked the photo of the singer's body in open casket to the press

Carolyn Whigham said that she wanted it to be “clearly established” that staff at the Whigham Funeral Home were not responsible for the leak, claiming that she feared her daughter would be attacked over the allegations just as she has.

“It is very obvious that the Houston family has ceased the investigation [into the home]. Why? I want to clear my name, I want to clear my funeral home,” Carolyn Whigham said.

“Unfortunately this went nationwide, worldwide. I could be on vacation laying by a swimming pool and somebody [could] come up and throw something in my face… I want to defend my character and my name. That’s the most important thing that I have.”

Carolyn Whigham previously described Whitney Houston as “a friend” and claimed that she “did everything to protect her”.

Sources close to the Houston family have said they are “heartbroken all over again” by the photo, which is believed to have been taken at a private viewing on February 17.

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