Aaron Carter’s drowned in his bathtub after taking Xanax and inhaling a substance found in aerosol cans, according to the Los Angeles Coroner’s report released on Tuesday.
The report lists drowning as the primary cause of death, with “effects of Difluoroethane and Alprazolam” as a secondary cause. Alprazolam is a generic form of Xanax, while Difluoroethane is a propellant for aerosol sprays.
The singer, whose hits include 1997’s “Crush on You,” was found dead at his home in Lancaster, California, on November 5, 2022.
The younger brother of Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter was 34. After Aaron’s death, Nick wrote on Instagram, “My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. Now you can finally have the peace you could never find here on earth.”
Carter had been open about his past struggles with addiction. In September 2022, he lost custody of the infant son, Prince, he shares with ex-fiancée Melanie Martin, and he voluntarily checked into rehab for a fifth time in an attempt to regain custody. Martin claimed Carter had broken three of her ribs during a domestic dispute in February 2022.
Aaron began performing at age 7 and was 9 when he released his self-titled debut album in 1997; It sold a million copies worldwide. His second album, “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” tripled that number in U.S. sales. He toured with The Backstreet Boys shortly after the release. His next album, “Oh Aaron,” went platinum in 2001.
He and his four siblings starred in a reality show on E! called “House of Carter,” which ran for eight episodes in 2006 and followed the lives of the musical family as they tried to revive their careers and reconnect as a family. Three years later, Carter appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” and finished in fifth place with his dance pro partner, Karina Smirnoff.
His other TV credits include guest roles on “Lizzie McGuire,” “7th Heaven,” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” He also appeared in 10 episodes of WE tv’s “Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars Family Edition” in 2019.
