The California Highway Patrol found that Brandy Norwood was at fault in the accident, which took place when she failed to recognize that traffic had slowed down and rear ended the car in front of her. Aboudihaj, the driver of the car struck by Brandy in the Dec. 30th accident, was killed when her vehicle slammed into a third car, careened into the freeway’s center divider and was hit broad-side by a fourth automobile, police said.

The CHP has recommended the misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail, to prosecutors reviewing the case. The patrol has referred the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, which will decide whether to press charges.

The parents of Awatef Aboudihaj, 38, filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court one day after the California Highway Patrol recommended that prosecutors charge Brandy with a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter.

"I don’t think any amount of money that can be given to them will compensate them for such a loss," the family’s attorney, Lotfy Mrich, told KCAL9-TV television station. "She was a special, special lady." "Be it Brandy Norwood or someone else...the plaintiffs will seek the amount of damages that they believe is fair," Mrich said.

Brandy earned a Grammy in 1999 and has made five albums. She began her recording career at 14 and acted for film and television, starring in the US sitcom "Moesha." Most recently she appeared as a judge on Simon Cowell’s "America’s Got Talent."

"The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singer Monica, was her first number-one song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, in 1997. One of the most successful songs of the year, it eventually brought the pair a Grammy Award for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal".