The 17-year-old granddaughter of the nation's largest lottery winner was found dead near her boyfriend's home, her body wrapped in a sheet and plastic tarp.
Brandi Bragg, who lived in the nearby town of Hurricane, was last seen alive Dec. 4. She was reported missing five days later by Jack Whittaker, who won a $314.9 million jackpot on Christmas Day 2002 but has battled legal and other problems since then.
The cause of death was under investigation. Authorities said there were no obvious signs of violence. An autopsy was planned for Tuesday, and police said Tuesday morning there was nothing new to report.
Bragg's body was found Monday behind a junked van several hundred feet from the home of Steve Crosier, whose son Brandon was Bragg's boyfriend, said Trooper S.E. Wolfe.
A preliminary investigation indicated that Bragg may have died in the Crosiers' house and her body was later moved.
Wolfe said Monday's discovery was based on interviews with Brandon Crosier and others. "We are focused on him but I wouldn't call him a suspect yet," he said.
Steve Crosier, in a brief conversation with reporters outside his house, said: "All I know is she OD'd and Brandon freaked out."
But police would not comment on whether drugs were involved, and in a later telephone interview with The Associated Press, Crosier said he did not know any details of Bragg's death or when her body was placed outside on his property. Crosier said he had been busy tending to his daughter, Jennifer, who died of cancer Dec. 13.
Bragg's body was identified by tattoos on her neck, said State Police Sgt. Jay Powers. "The troopers had talked to her in the past and knew her," Powers said.
Whittaker and other family members did not return messages Monday. There was no listing for Bragg's mother, Ginger McMahon of Beckley, who is Whittaker's daughter.
Shortly after he won the lottery, the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in U.S. history, Whittaker said he had few plans for himself but wanted to lavish his winnings on his daughter and Brandi, then 15.
But Whittaker already a wealthy contractor before his lottery win has had several brushes with the law since he won the prize. Earlier this month, a magistrate ordered him to go into rehab and surrender his driver's license after his second drunken driving arrest this year. He must report to rehab by Jan. 2.
See how depressing those pictures of the land looks? Well I grew up not far from this place and it was a dark, damp and depressing place! There isn't much left but drugs and sickness! I am so thankful my father moved us out from there many years ago! Let's pray for Jack and his family that they find some peace in all that has happened.
My deepest sympathy to the Whittaker family.
"To the Whittaker Family"
Grandfather and Great Spirit,
We, as common people,
humbly reach out to you,
at this break of day,
We thank you for this new
and sacred day,
we understand this.
We thank you for giving us
these things and, we praise you.
Grandfather and Great Spirit,
We ask you to give us direction today,
and provide for our needs,
as you are the ONE,
that underdtands and knows
our needs and, you can guide us.
Today,
we pray for those who are mourning,
and we ask that you give them comfort.
We pray for our deceased relatives that
you have given them a place of rest,
and that you comfort them
and that they be happy
with their relatives.
Grandfather and Great Spirit,
as we walk through this day,
you understand and know everything
and we ask for your protection,
blessing, good health and happiness.
HELP US! And let us not
forget our kinship,
bu loving each other in our
daily walk in life.
Let us not falter in walking the
way of life with our children
throughout this day.
Grandfather and Great Spirit,
I humbly ask that you answer
our prayers. HELP US!
Throughout the country,
in hospitals and those that need you.
Answer their prayers.
Chief
the loss of a loved one is hard enough, but the loss of a child is devastating. my deepest sympathy to the whittaker family...
I wanted to thank kbcherokee for the eloquent prayer for the jack wittaker family ....I know that those prayer offerings will be heard by the great spirit.
Thank you kbcherokee.
I know the loss of a sibling and it wasn't easy. I watched my mother go through agony when my youngest brother passed. I think there is no greater pain than to lay to rest one of your children or their children. I hope the family members and friends will seek guidance and counseling to overcome any grief they may encounter.
WELL MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY'S LOSS.
see all they see is the guy who won all that money
THE MONEY FIRST HE DID NOT WIN 314 MILLION HE TOOK CASH OPTION AS MOST OF US WOULD AND THE ONLY REASON HE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THE NEWS IS BECAUSE HE WON THE LOTTERY.
THE PROBLEM IS THE PRESS AS ALWAYS CANT LEAVE ANYONE ALONE. HOW COME ALL THE LOTTERY PEOPLE THIS IS THE ONLY ONE YOU HEAR ABOUT WHAT ABOUT ENOUGH ALREADY LET HIM AND HIS FAMILY REST AND RECOVER FROM THEIR GREAT TRAGGIC LOSS.
INCLOSING I FEEL THE LOTTERY SHOULD NEVER GET THAT HIGH LOWER THE ODDS
Are you serious? That tragedy could have happened no matter what size of his win or even if he ever won the jackpot or not. I don't know how you can think the loss suffered from one dysfunctional family, who happened to get a great windfall despite already having bags of money from their business, should place limits on the rest of us. Many people across all age groups die in absolute poverty and agony every day around the world and no one mourns their loss. The death of ANY person is sad but can't be allowed to cause sudden restrictions on how the living should carry on. But we all have choices. So in the girl's memory why don't you live up to your words and not play anything above a $10,000,000 jackpot from now on since you don't think it should ever get that high? Something tells me though if there are several rollovers the next couple months you will be one of the first ones on here saying you hope it reaches a new record amount and that you win it all for yourself.
In reply to Elvis TCB. Mr Whittaker is putting himself in the news not the lottery people, his stupidity keeps him in the news. You never hear about anyone else that wins large amounts of money because they find financial advisor's and go off and live quiet solitude lives out of the limelight unlike Mr Whittaker, who did everything he could to keep his name in the news. But my deepest sympathies go out to his daughter and to him and his wife at this time in the loss of a daughter and grand-daughter. Lowering the jackpots will not solve a thing, people wait for the pots to grow to play, it's up to each person to play responsibly and they post so much about how to get in contact with the right people on this site it would be your own fault if you mess up. Some time the wrong people are in the right place at the wrong time.
lowering the lottery jackpots is a good thing first all the money the lottery makes i never hear any good this money is doing for the senior citizens. but i do stand behind what i said yes i love to have 100 million but i feel even that is to much free money for anyone. i feel the lottery should never go over 50 million annuity, just give better odds i mean anyone who can not live off of 18.7 million cash pay out, does not deserve to win.
you hear about people who won lottery who are broke, oweing lots of money why because they are poverty rich spending more money then they have, you seem only to hear about the winners who are broke but they have houses all overe cars galore possesions but broke filed bankrupticy.
hey it is a blessing people win yes i want to win as much as the next person. i just think it is unfair with odds being so high and jackpots growing so high it is unreal and causes people to go crazy and buy tickets when it only takes one wining ticket $1 to win.
SMALLER JACKPOTS BETTER ODDS LESS POVERTY MORE WINNERS.
elvis---tcb wrote: i never hear any good this money is doing for the senior citizens.
PA Lottery Information
http://www.palottery.state.pa.us/lottery/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=457096&lotteryNav=29752|
Jewel Whittaker told The Charleston Gazette for Tuesday's editions she regrets his purchase of the $314.9 million ticket.
SO IF SHE IS UNHAPPY WITH THIS LOTTERY WIN
GIVE IT TO A CHARITY OR PEOLPE WHO NEED HELP
ONE GREAT THING ABOUT WINING MONEY YOU DONT HAVE TO KEEP IT IF YOUR NOT HAPPY GIVE IT AWAY DUH !
MATT:6:19 -21
FOUR4ME GIVE ME A LINK TO WHERE THE MONEY IS SAID TO GO BUT AFTER SPEAKING WITH MANY OLD PEOPLE AND SEEING HOW THEY BARLEY MAKE ENDS MEET SOMETIMES HAVE TO MOVE IN WITH THEIR KIDS CAUSE THESE SO CALL PROGRAMS ARE NOT HELPING ANYONE BUT THE LOTTERY BIG WIGS
I CAN TELL YOU THAT MONEY WILL GO TO HELP POOR AND ELDERS AND RETIRES BUT SHOW ME THE MONEY
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm getting older myself in my 50's I wouldn't know about PA's programs for the elderly if I didn't read about it. It is very possible that thousands of elderly don't know about any programs or won't accept help. People have to check in with their various senior citizen groups or at least contact AARP these people have knowledge and free information for any senior who wishes to seek help. And many seniors don't have the cash flow to play the lottery so they might not be abreast of PA's senior citizens programs. I just can't believe that the majority of people who need help aren't accepting or seeking help from the state. If they contact any state department pay taxes ride the bus and or used the many other services offered by the state. here is the link click it. PA's Lottery website should have a link to the local government offices.
http://www.state.pa.us/ this link is PA's commonwealth
below is PA's lottery website that shows where the money goes
http://www.palottery.state.pa.us/lottery/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=457096&lotteryNav=29752|
He has already given away more than 20 million dollars and he finally realized that he is not Bill Gates or Opra. He is a millionaire who is not a billionaire and had hundreds of thousands requests for money to the point that he would be homeless if he had helped each and every one.
Instead of starting his own foundation he should have donated to a foundation as a partner and possibley receive some grant money to continue donating.
Hi!
If I won the lottery, I am sure I will give some to charity !But I will not give each person with some money. It will cause me poorer than before the winning . Moreover, when I finish giving each, another hundreds thoudsands requests will continue to appear! never end ...until my money is gone!
I will move and say no at the beginning to the strangers ...!
Hey!Candidate for the next winner! Contribute to charity ORGANIZATIONS....but be strong!!!!
You are entitled to your opinion even though you are patently wrong. You're only shouting in the winds of a hurricane because no other lottery player or organization is going to listen to you and put your absurd suggestion into place. There are PLENTY of other games for YOU to play that have substantially smaller jackpots and better odds. And you are obviously forgetting that the fun of POWERBALL and MULTIMILLIONS is that they allow people the chance to win lower prize amounts with increasing odds for fewer numbers matched. And the multiplier option on POWERBALL is a great bet for winning even more. So stick to your Daily Number pick 3 games with chump-change prizes. The rest of us will spend our money how and where we like. Again, I am very certain you will continue to play POWERBALL while coming on here and beating your chest in dismay each time it reaches record amounts. Such behavior is known as hypocrisy.
If the jackpot is not growing high the people will not have enough motion to buy or buy a lot ! Trust me!
The more the odds lowed the more people like it! The more jackpot high the more people are crazy to buy tickets!
I have seen one person bought thousand dollars of tickets when it get 200 million prize!
I seldom buy ticket when it is just dropped from having the winner, it is kind of boring!
Bottom line : Hopelessly, I still hope and hope someday I will be the winner of the huge jackpot, i love to live but I don't care how much people will hate me!!!
I feel so bad for the family.....
Wow Chief, very nice post!
it's always tragic when a child dies...
here is a tragic story of a 9 year old boy from a nearby county here in PA (today's news)...
A memorial service for Logan Mitcheltree will be held Wednesday evening in the South Williamsport High School auditorium. The public is invited to attend the service. The boy's family will use the service to thank everyone who helped look for Logan.
The boy's body was found early Tuesday morning, some 64 hours after he went missing from his home in South Williamsport. A forestry worker found the body in a wooded area about two miles from Logan's home. Officials believe the nine-year-old died Saturday night or Sunday morning, just hours after he disappeared. An autopsy will be done Wednesday at Lehigh Valley Hospital near Allentown. Police have said they do not think Logan's death is suspicious.
Now those who tried to help are talking about Logan's tragic death. "This morning when I left my home, I kissed my daughter goodbye. Today is her 11th birthday. I can't imagine being in the situation the Mitcheltree family is in today. So on behalf our department, I send my sincere condolences," said Lieutenant James Murtin of the Pennsylvania State Police.
Police, firefighters and volunteers met at the South Williamsport Fire Company after Logan's body was found to grieve and offer condolences to his family. "I have been directed by President George W. Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft sympathies and deepest condolences to Mrs. Mitcheltree and her family," said U.S. Attorney Tom Marino.
The volunteers talked about the massive search that started Saturday afternoon. That's when the autistic boy who couldn't speak walked away from home. He was found dead in a heavily wooded area in nearby Armstrong Township, about two miles away. "With his age, the time he was gone, we never thought he'd make it as far as he did," said South Williamsport Police Chief Rex Lowmiller.
Logan was found near Skyline Drive, an access road through a forest near his home. A searcher caught a glimpse of his favorite orange backpack. He always had it with him. While they grieve his death, counselors urge those close to the case to take care, talk with family and get help if you need it.
I pray for both families. Regardless of my political differences with the man, I do admire Mr. Bush for sending condolences...
I hope we all have some good headlines in 2005.
Lotteries don't kill people, people kill people. Nuff said.
Elvis-TCB: STOP WRITING IN CAPS...or haven't you learned that's like shouting.
There aren't any stupid questions, just stupid people. You take the cake. Your comments are as stupid as Jack Whittaker's actions since winning that jackpot. He did win the $314 million jackpot, but he opted to take the cash option.
The death of his grand-daughter doesn't have anything to do with him winning the lottery. The two incidents are UNRELATED. First, he happens to be a lottery winner whose grand-daughter died. Second, he didn't need the money. He was shopping for a helicopter when he won the lottery. At his news conference, he said "Now I can buy it."
Sure would hate to hear if you won.
The Richest of Rich and the Poorest of Poor can get involved in drugs and furthermore die from this. Drugs are way too accesible in this area and they dont discriminate in any way. They will kill us all if given a chance. I dont believe Jacks lottery win had anything to do with Brandi's death except for maybe extra funds needed to buy the drugs, and a load of new friends more than happy to share the wealth. My heart really goes out to the whole Whittaker Family. I have 2 beautiful children who I couldn't imagine anything happening to. I will pray for u all daily in hopes that it will comfort you all through the healing process. Can't help but thank god at this holiday season not for the things that I can give my children cause lord knows we dont have alot, but to thank him daily for the things I'm already blessed with. If I never ever win a jackpot thats ok with me cause I have the biggest win in history already that I tuck into bed each night. Again you are all in my heart and prayers and may god look upon all of you this holiday season.
Hmmn...