Reuters

Singer Whitney Houston was found dead in her hotel room this weekend.

Los Angeles - Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina was rushed to hospital on Sunday suffering from stress, a day after the death of her pop star mother, police and a family friend said.

“She was taken to hospital and treated for stress,” the friend told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity after media reports that the 18-year-old was taken to the Cedars Sinai hospital in Beverly Hills.

Bobbi Kristina is Houston's daughter from her stormy 15-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown. She was taken by ambulance from the Beverly Hilton hotel, where Houston was found dead on Saturday, police said.

“She was having some anxiety and she was transported to Cedars Sinai hospital,” a spokesperson for the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) told AFP, giving no further details.

The TMZ celebrity news website reported that various prescription pills were found in Houston's hotel room, quoting family members as saying she used Xanax, which is often used to treat anxiety.

The news about Bobbi Kristina came as Houston's family broke their silence on the tragedy, issuing a statement saying they were devastated by the “unimaginable tragedy” of the singer's death.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends,” said the statement.

The star's mother Cissy Houston, a gospel singer, reportedly spoke to her daughter a short time before she died.

Brown appealed for privacy for the family.

“I am deeply saddened at the passing of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter Bobbi Kristina,” Brown said in a statement cited by CNN.

Brown reportedly broke down in tears on stage late on Saturday after learning of his ex-wife's death - the pair divorced in 2007 - but he went on with his performance with the reunited New Edition as planned.

During the performance in Mississippi, a teary-eyed Brown shouted, “I love you, Whitney!” and blew a kiss to the sky, the celebrity magazine Us reported on Sunday. - Sapa-AFP