Director Tyler Perry calls for prayers, respect for Bobbi Kristina Brown

HOLLYWOOD - Film maker Tyler Perry appealed for prayers and respect for the daughter of late singer Whitney Houston as the young woman hangs onto life in a Georgia hospice. The writer and director of the hit "Madea" movies condemned the "blatant disrespect, lies, and ignorance" that have been circulating about Bobbi Kristina Brown, 22, whose family said they had placed her "in God's hands" three weeks ago. Brown suffered brain damage in a January fall. Celebrity news website TMZ.com and other outlets printed a photo this week that showed a large white tent had been set up at the back of the hospice where Bobbi Kristina is being cared for, fueling speculation that she may be near death. Earlier this month, TMZ reported that a photo was being shopped to the media of the young woman in her hospice bed. TMZ said it declined to take the photo. "May I ask you all to please show some decency and respect? Not only to Krissi’s family, but also to the other families that are there in this place," Perry, who was a close friend of Whitney Houston and her family, wrote on his official Facebook page. "Not only is Krissi at the center but there are several other families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones at the same time. It’s heartbreaking to think that even in a time like this, this child is still not allowed any peace," he added. Bobbi Kristina was moved to hospice care on June 24 after doctors said she had suffered irreversible brain damage after being found face down and unresponsive in a bathtub at her suburban Atlanta home in January. She is the only child of Houston and singer Bobby Brown. Her accident bears eerie similarities to the death of her mother in February 2012, when the "I Will Always Love You" singer drowned in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub at the age of 48. Bobbi Kristina's family has not issued any statements on her condition since announcing in June that she had been moved to hospice care. -Reuters