James Brown's body is missing from its crypt, according to his daughter.

The remains of the singer - who died on Christmas Day 2006 (25.12.06) of a suspected heart attack aged 73 - were being held at his daughter Deanna's house in South Carolina while a public mausoleum is being prepared.

However, LaRhonda Pettit, one of James' illegitimate daughters, claims the body of the 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag' singer has gone missing to prevent her carrying out an autopsy to determine the true cause of his death.

LaRhonda, 48, is convinced James was actually killed by people trying to get his money.

She said: "My daddy's body has disappeared. I have no clue where it was taken, but I need to know where.

"I'm convinced his death was suspicious and I want the people responsible brought to justice.

"The only way to do that is to exhume his body and have an autopsy. I cannot understand why one was never conducted."

LaRhonda is one of a dozen people to come forward after James' death and claim to be one of his children, and in 2007 she took a DNA test which gave a result that he was 99.9 per cent likely to be her father.

She claims James had an affair with her mother in the 60s.

The soul singer - who was known as the 'Godfather of Soul' - had nine children by four wives and his will named six children as beneficiaries, not including LaRhonda.

LaRhonda added to America's Globe newspaper: "It was common knowledge that my daddy took illegal drugs.

"He was also hooked on various prescription painkillers. At the very least there were enablers who helped cause his death.