Houston's mom: My daughter did not die broke

Joerg Koch / AFP - Getty Images file

By Courtney Garcia, TODAY.com contributor

Speaking for the first time since her daughter?s Feb. 11 death, Whitney Houston?s mother, Cissy, says claims that her daughter was broke when she died?are just plain wrong.

?Whitney did not die broke. She?s not broke. She?s not anything ... None of that crap,? Cissy told My9?s ?The 10 o?clock News in New Jersey, in an exclusive interview to air Monday. ?They think they know everything?These people don?t know anything about her. The media doesn?t know what they are talking about.?

While refusing to join other relatives in a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, Cissy, 78, is finally opening up about her feelings surrounding her 48-year-old daughter?s death, recently ruled to be the result of an accidental drowning and the effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use.

?She accomplished a whole lot in the short time that she had here,? says Cissy, a Grammy-winning gospel singer. ?I know I did the best I could. I don?t blame myself. I know I did the best I could for everything.?

The interview took place at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., where Whitney Houston?began her singing career as a young girl. The church?was also the site?of the pop star?s funeral service on Feb. 18, during which, the New York?Daily News reports, Cissy Houston??broke down?wailing ?My baby! My baby!? " while following her daughter's casket.

An auction of clothing and jewelry worn by the pop star was held March 31 blocks away from where she was found dead at?California's Beverly Hilton Hotel. Bidders paid $80,000 for Whitney memorabilia at Julien's "Hollywood Legends" auction with a?bustier worn by the singer at concerts pulling in the highest amount at?$18,750, CBS Los Angeles reports. A?grey velvet gown worn by?Houston at Clive Davis? 1996 ?pre-Grammy party sold for $11,250; pearl drop earrings from ?The Bodyguard? sold for $2,812, and a vest from the film went for $3,437.

Items were donated by Houston's family and friends, and more will be sold in June, including 30 dresses. The singer lost most of her designer gowns at a 2007 court-ordered auction to settle a $200,000 storage debt, Inside Edition reports.

The singer's final movie, "Sparkle," will hit theaters Aug. 17. An exclusive clip was shown Monday on TODAY.

Should the Houston family stop talking to the media? Tell us on Facebook.

?Related content:

?

?

higgs boson ipad 3 release date apple store down apple live blog ohio primary cell phone jammer sandra fluke