The body of music superstar Whitney Houston is being flown to New Jersey for funeral services that will take place this week. Houston, who was born in Newark and raised in East Orange, died on Saturday afternoon, hours before she was scheduled to perform at a pre-Grammys event. One community leader who has ties to Houston's family tells the Star-Ledger that the funeral "has been tentatively scheduled for Friday at the Prudential Center."
According to the Star-Ledger, "The arena, which seats more than 18,500 people, represents the largest indoor venue in Newark and could accommodate far greater crowds than the New Hope Baptist Church, the red brick house of worship that served as Houston’s childhood church. The source declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak for the family."
Houston's body was released to her family earlier today. The Los Angeles County coroner conducted an autopsy; while the results could take weeks, initial reports say that the family was told Houston did not drown in her hotel suite's bathtub.
