- Aaron Carter was a beloved, millennial pop star, the youngest brother of Backstreet Boy singer, Nick Carter.
- In November 2022, Aaron Carter was found dead in his home by his fiancee Melanie Martin.
- An autopsy report confirmed that Aaron Carter drowned in his bathtub, after taking a form of Xanax and other drugs.
What a sad ending to such a young life. Aaron Carter died unexpectedly at the age of 34 on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 due to an accidental drowning and the effects of difluoroethane (which is the propellant used in cans of compressed air) and alprazolam (generic Xanax), according a copy of his autopsy report obtained by Page Six and TMZ on April 18, 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s report states that Aaron became “incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects” of the drugs and the huffing, and ultimately, he drowned.
Aaron “was found unresponsive this morning by his [fiancée] Melanie Martin at the home in Lancaster, California. Everyone is so devastated right now,” his rep revealed to HollywoodLife, shortly after his passing on Nov. 5. Fans, friends, and even some of Aaron’s famous former girlfriends were heartbroken to hear the shocking news and shared their love for him on social media. “For Aaron — I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in front of the whole world. You have a charm that was absolutely effervescent,” Hilary Duff, 35, wrote in a note shared on Instagram. “Boy did my teenage self love you deeply. Sending love to your family at this time. Rest easy.”
Lindsay Lohan, who was notoriously in a love triangle with Aaron and Hilary in 2002, also remembered him fondly. “So many (memories) from when I was so young, just that era of my life … and my prayers go out to his family, and may he rest in peace and God bless,” the 36-year-old newlywed said during an interview with Access Hollywood.
Aaron’s older brother, Nick Carter, 42, shared several throwback photos with the “Aaron’s Party” hitmaker and gushed about the love he had for him. “My heart has been broken today. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded,” he began in his Nov. 6 Instagram post. “I have always held onto the hope, that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed.”
He then spoke about Aaron’s addiction struggles, which the star himself had been open about previously. “Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss. But the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here,” he wrote in his emotional note. “I will miss my brother more than anyone will ever know. I love you Chizz, now you get a chance to finally have some peace you could never find here on earth….God, Please take care of my baby brother.”
Aaron’s rep confirmed to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that Nick and Aaron, who had very public highs and lows together, “were finally in a good place when [Aaron] died.” They added, “[Aaron] was on the path to making amends with so many people in his life, and he had made amends and made peace with Nick.” His rep also said Aaron “looked up to Nick in so many ways” and that the formerly estranged brothers “were trying to make everything good again.”
Aaron’s final interview was unaired but released after his tragic death. During his chat with Kaila Methven of K’LA Afterdark, he opened up about his struggles but seemed hopeful for the future. “I took a break since 2017. I needed to go to rehab,” he stated. “I think I grew into the real, true, authentic version of myself. I went to rehab four times until I finally got it right.” The interview was shot in August.