Pennsylvania woman, 114, becomes oldest living person in North America

Naomi Whitehead attains status after death of Elizabeth Francis, who was third-oldest known living person in world

A 114-year-old woman residing in Pennsylvania who says she never smoked or drank alcohol recently became the oldest known living person in North America.

Naomi Whitehead attained that status after the 22 October death of Elizabeth Francis, 115, a Louisiana native who moved to Houston and was the world's third-oldest person, according to the LongeviQuest website, an authority on supercentenarians - those who are 110 or older.