Whitney Houston was laid to rest next to her father yesterday as questions continued about the cause of her death.

In a ceremony attended by close family only, the singer was buried in a plot at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, near her hometown of Newark, alongside John Russell Houston, who managed her early career. Mr Houston died in 2003.

The low-key event was in contrast to Saturday's star-studded funeral attended by people from the world of showbiz, including Kevin Costner, her co-star in hit film The Bodyguard.

Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and Ray J all sang at the event at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where Houston began her singing career.

Her burial brings to an end her "coming home" – as her family dubbed the invitation-only memorial service held on Saturday at her childhood church in Newark.

Fans gathered for a final glimpse of the star's coffin as it was driven into the cemetery grounds in the golden hearse which had carried her body from the morgue in Los Angeles.

The 48-year-old singer was found dead in the bath at her suite at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on February 11, the day before she was due to perform at the Grammy Awards.

Coroners have deferred deciding the cause of her death pending the outcome of toxicology tests.