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Whitney Houston: Woman who hid on rooftop from intruder starred in 'Sparkle'

Melora Rivera, actress in "Sparkle" fled a home intruder by hiding on her rooftop.

By Danielle Haynes

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- A California woman who caught media attention for hiding from a home intruder on the roof of her house had already had a bit of fame before the terrifying incident. She starred opposite singer Whitney Houston in 2012's Sparkle.

Melora Rivera made a bold move Wednesday morning by taking to her rooftop while fleeing from an intruder, Christian Hicks. The woman was photographed huddling below a ledge on the roof as Hicks stood above her, looking for her.

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She told CBS Los Angeles it was the only thing she could think to do, having been roused from sleep and wearing just a shirt and underwear.

"He managed to break one of these panels and reach in to unlock the door," she said. "Once I saw him in the house, I knew that we both couldn't be there. I knew that I didn't want to have a confrontation with him of any sort, you know, not knowing what his intention was."

Turns out, she is no stranger to attention, albeit normally more positive. Rivera is an actress, previously appearing in Houston's last movie, the short film The Three Canvases and on television in How to Get Swagger.

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