James Brown died on Christmas Day last year.

Ever since, the list of people waiting for their present just keeps getting longer and longer.

Just in the past two days, a woman who says she is Brown's eldest daughter has laid claim to a piece of his estate, and court-appointed administrators have told a judge that one of the estate's former trustees may have misappropriated up to $7 million of the late soul singer's money.

LaRhonda Petitt, a 45-year-old retired flight attendant, went to court yesterday to pursue a paternity action to legally establish that she is Brown's daughter.

But Petitt is not alone, as she is but one of at least three people who have claimed that DNA testing proves that they are Brown's children, adding to the six adult children named by Brown in his will.

"I've been walking around looking like this man for 45 years," Petitt told the Associated Press. "I'm not talking no negative talk, I'm talking about what's right."

Petitt, who was born and lives in Houston, said she would like all people claiming to be Brown's children to take a DNA test, but a judge has not yet heard that motion. "Just because they're in the will doesn't mean they're all my daddy's children," Petitt said.

As the court attempts to sort out the litany of claims against Brown's estate, just how much money will be divided remains in doubt. Court-appointed special administrators probing the handling of Brown's estate since his death have told a judge that David Cannon, the former co-executor of Brown's will who resigned in controversy last month, may have misappropriated up to $7 million of Brown's money.

The judge gave Cannon 10 days to pay $370,000 back to the estate, on top of $350,000 he repaid last month.

State Circuit Judge Jack Early also gave Cannon 20 days to pay $30,000 for attorney fees and to produce other documents. Cannon has not commented publicly on the matter.

Louis Levenson, an attorney for several of Brown's adult children and grandchildren, said the other trustees also mishandled Brown's money.

"You can't turn your back on your responsibility and say it's his fault and then point your finger at Mr. Cannon," Levenson said.

Levenson's clients are trying to remove all three trustees and have special administrators appointed to handle Brown's estate.

Brown died in an Atlanta hospital on Christmas at age 73.