Psychic guru Sylvia Browne dies in San Jose at 77

Sylvia Browne, a best-selling author who claimed she had psychic abilities that allowed her to talk to the dead and see into the future, died Wednesday in San Jose, according to a statement posted on her website.

She was 77. No cause of death was reported.

A frequent guest on television shows including “The Montel Williams Show” and “Unsolved Mysteries,” Browne published dozens of books, including titles like “Animals on the Other Side” and “Past Lives of the Rich and Famous.”

According to her website, 22 of her books appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.

Browne, who sometimes assisted law enforcement agencies with criminal investigations, occasionally came under criticism by some who dismissed her self-proclaimed psychic talents. She drew attacks after falsely telling the mother of Ohio kidnapping victim Amanda Berry that her daughter was dead. Berry was found alive in May.

Browne grew up in Kansas City, Mo., where, according to her website, “her spiritual psychic ability began to manifest at the age of three.”

She moved to California in 1964. Browne is survived by her husband, Michael Ulery, and two sons.

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