As if we didn’t see this one coming. *sigh*

Yesterday, The National Enquirer published one of the last known photos of Bobbi Kristina Brown, as she laid comatose in bed at Peachtree Christian Hospice center in Georgia.

The image, which is featured on the cover of the tabloid, shows Bobbi Kristina unconscious, in a hospital gown.

[FLASHBACK: Instagram Flexin: Bobbi Kristina Friend Blasts Family For ‘Hidden Agendas’…]

A source close to the family revealed that “the families are livid” about the photo, which was reportedly auctioned off for more than $100,000.

“They are indeed exploring legal action if only to find out who did it,” the insider said.

Many have speculated that a family member or friend took the bedside and when news of the photo being auctioned came to light, Bobby Brown‘s sister hit Facebook to vehemently deny that it was a BROWN who took the photo.

Details + photos below…
Bobbi Kristina’s aunt, Leolah Brown has been very vocal about the situation throughout Bobbi Kristina’s hospitalization.

When she received news of a ‘deathbed’ photo of her niece, Leolah hit her Facebook page back on July 19th to make it known that it wasn’t a BROWN family member responsible, stating:

Please know that, that picture that was taken of my niece, Bobbi Kristina was taken when NO other Brown was around her. My brothers KNOW this and we have already determined who we are sure it WAS NOT! And believe me-IT WAS NOT A BROWN! Furthermore, it is easy for us to narrow down considering the visitation arrangements.

That IS NOT a picture of Bobbi Kristina Brown in “hospice!” Whoever took that picture had to take it before she came to hospice-simply because there is no brace on her neck today nor has it been since I have been with her in hospice. Don’t let these evil people make you believe otherwise! I am NEVER going to tell you a lie about something like that. Unfortunately, it was an evil and wicked person who had access to my niece’s bedside that did that! A heartless person!

For the record, there are actually two photos of Bobbi Kristina.  One is just as Leolah describes (without tubes and neck brace), and was published by the tabloid back on July 13th (click HERE to view)

In that photo, Bobbi Kristina has a neck brace on and is clearly on life sustaining machinery.  The photo appears to have been taken when Bobbi Kristina was in a medically induced coma while hospitalized.

As Leolah Brown noted, once she was moved to hospice care there were no neck braces and no machines.

The 2nd photo was taken at the hospice and the magazine featured Bobbi Kristina on the cover alongside the casket photo of her famous mother (click HER for uncensored image)

Entertainment lawyer Julian Chan explained to FoxNews that Bobbi Kristina’s right to privacy was violated in an illicit way.

“The family can sue for invasion of privacy, as well as for trespass for entering the room to take the picture,” Chan said.

“They can also sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress, since– as you can imagine– a picture like that especially in a printed magazine [would cause distress].”

According to an insider, after the photo was first reported to have been snapped, all of the Browns –except for Bobbi Kristina’s dad Bobby— were prohibited from visiting the daughter of the late Whitney Houston.

Whoever took the photo was one of the few on the approved visitor list at the hospice center.

The 22-year-old died July 26 in hospice care, about six months after she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her Atlanta home.

It is still a mystery as to who took the ‘deathbed’ photo and it’s possible that criminal charges could potentially be brought against the culprit.

For example, if a doctor took the pictures and sold them to The National Enquirer, that could be a breach of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) and criminal charges might be possible.

When Whitney Houston passed away three years ago, the same tabloid ran a photo of Houston in her casket at her funeral, sparking outrage.

It is not yet known who took the picture or whether or not the photographer was allowed or supposed to be taking pictures of Bobbi Kristina but whoever is accountable reportedly pocketed over 6 figures.

There is also rumored to be another image, one of Bobbi Kristina in her casket, that has not yet been published.

Bobbi Kristina was buried next to her mother on August 3, 2015 at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, N.J.

R.I.P. Bobbi Kristina

What do you think of this sticky situation??