Lotto Winner Death: Clayton Found Dead After Welfare Fraud, Lottery Win

According to CNN, Clayton died at her Detroit home while sleeping with her 18-month-old daughter of a possible drug overdose, police said.  According to a WXYZ-TV report, a friend found Clayton dead watching a movie with her daughter.

An autopsy was inconclusive to find the cause of death and cannot be determined until a toxicology report comes back in six to eight weeks, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Clayton won $1 million in the Michigan “Make Me Rich!” lottery game show last year. After taxes, Clayton received $500,000, which she used to purchase a house and a car. However, she continued to collect $200 monthly from the state for food assistance.

"I thought that they would cut me off, but since they didn't, I thought maybe it was OK because I'm not working,” she told WDIV-TV according to CNN. Eventually, the Michigan Department of Human Services and Office of Inspector General found out that Clayton had won the lottery and took away her benefits in March. The investigation concluded that Clayton has collected nearly $6,000 in food and medical benefits after the 10-day period allotted to report asset changes. Clayton pleaded no contest in July and eventually received probation.

A friend told WXYZ-TV, CNN reported, that Clayton had recently been in a “bad stage.”

"So many people tried to take advantage of her, act like they are her friends just to get some money from her. It gets to the point where you start questioning yourself: Are they really my friends or are they using me,” the friend said.

Another source told the Detroit News that due to a custody battle and arguments with her boyfriend, Clayton’s mother said she had been taking prescription drugs.