Funeral Home Owner Denies Leaking Whitney Houston Casket Photo, But Says She Knows Who Did

Carolyn Whigham, the owner of the funeral home that handled Whitney Houston’s services, has spoken out against claims she aided the National Enquirer in obtaining a photo of the late singer in her open casket.

“I want to clear my name, I want to clear my funeral home,” Whigham said in a press conference on Thursday. “I want to defend my character and my name. That’s the most important thing that I have – our name. That’s how my father raised us – it’s not what you promise, it’s what your handshake says and your name. That’s character.”

Whigham also claimed to have been spit on and received numerous threatening e-mails since the photo was released, due to what she called “false and unsubstantiated rumors.”

Houston family friend Rev. Ronald Slaughter of St. James AME Church also defended Whigham and her employees, saying, “The Whigham Funeral Home is not responsible and had no role in this shameful betrayal,” according to New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger.

While Whigham strongly denied any part in the leaking of the photo, she, along with Rev. Slaughter and Rev. Jethro James, claim they do know who took the photo, but declined to identify the responsible party.

“It’s up to the Houston family to release the name,” said Rev. James, pastor of Paradise Baptist Church, The Star-Ledger reports.

Whigham added that although the Houston family had closed its inquiry into the photo scandal, her funeral home has not and is considering taking legal action.