What happened to Aaron Carter, the brother of the Backstreet Boys singer?

On Saturday evening, representatives for Aaron Carter announced that the singer and brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter had died at the age of 34.

The US musician was a well-known artist in the late 1990s and early 2000s, appearing on numerous tours and concerts as the opening act for the popular US boy band and also launching a successful solo career.

But the young man who seemed destined for superstardom ultimately led a problematic life with numerous conflicts with the law and drug problems.

Who was Aaron Carter?

Carter was born on December 7, 1987, in Florida to Jane Elizabeth and Robert Gene Carter, who ran a nursing home.

His older brother Nick was a member of the Backstreet Boys and he also had three sisters, twin sisters Angel, BJ and Leslie.

His first musical project was as lead singer of the band Dead End, which he left in 1997 and released his eponymous debut album in the same year.

The album’s success thrust him into the spotlight as he produced hits such as “Crush on You,” “That’s How I Beat Shaq,” and “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It).”

His musical success opened the doors to further opportunities, as he became a regular guest on the children’s television channel Nickelodeon and later appeared in Disney’s “Lizzie Maguire”.

After 2005, Carter’s popularity began to wane and he became increasingly involved in family feuds and problems with the law.

In 2009, he competed in the ABC competition show “Dancing with the Stars,” placing fifth with his partner Karina Smirnoff. In 2012, he appeared on the Food Network’s cooking show “Rachel vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.”

In later years, he turned to rap music and left his image as a child star with numerous facial tattoos behind. His fifth and final studio album, “LOVE,” was released in 2018.

Trouble with authorities and health problems

Carter has had numerous run-ins with police over the years. He was first stopped in 2008 by police officers in Kimble County, Texas, who found marijuana in his car. He was arrested in July 2017 on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Carter struggled with addiction for years and sometimes spoke publicly about it. He went to drug rehabilitation centers several times, most recently earlier this year to regain custody of his son Prince, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

During a 2019 appearance on the celebrity wellness TV show “The doctors“, he held up a bag full of prescription drugs that he said he took after being diagnosed with multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, manic depression and anxiety.

Carter’s relationships

His relationship with his siblings has been strained over the years, and in 2019 his brother Nick obtained a restraining order against him for allegedly threatening to kill his pregnant wife and unborn child.

Carter confirmed the restraining order on Twitter at the time, but denied allegations of threatening behavior.

Nick tweeted at the time: “Given Aaron’s increasingly concerning behavior and his recent confession that he harbors thoughts and intentions to kill my pregnant wife and unborn child, we had no choice but to take every possible action to protect ourselves and our family.

“We love our brother and sincerely hope he gets the proper treatment he needs before anything happens to him or anyone else.”

In September 2019, Carter accused his sister Leslie, who died of a drug overdose in 2012, of sexually abusing him between the ages of 10 and 13. He said the abuse occurred when she refused to take her medication for bipolar disorder.

Carter came out as bisexual in August 2017. The singer welcomed his first child, Prince, with Melanie Martin in 2021.

Additional reporting by agencies