Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston, died in hospice care last July, after being in a medically-induced coma for six months. In January 2015, Brown was found unresponsive in her bathtub by her fiancé, Nick Gordon. An autopsy found several drugs in her system, including morphine and cocaine, but the cause of death was never officially determined. Brown and Gordon both reportedly struggled with substance abuse; her estate filed a civil suit against Gordon, accusing him of stealing from her and being physically abusive. It was later amended to include a claim of wrongful death.
Gordon has mostly been absent from court, which is why the BBC reports that a judge has entered a default judgment against him. The defendant did respond to the suit but missed two court appearances, prompting Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford to strike his answer from the record. There will be a jury trial to determine how much Brown’s estate will be awarded in damages. The original suit sought $10 million, which was increased to $50 million when the wrongful death allegation was added. Gordon hasn’t commented on the matter.