Aaron Carter, a former Nickelodeon star turned rapper, died on Saturday in his California home. Authorities responded to a 911 call stating that he had drowned in his bathtub. A statement from the late singer’s representatives confirmed his death, although they have not disclosed the cause yet.
As the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, Aaron Carter rose to fame as an opening act for the group. The two reportedly had a strained relationship, which Nick himself acknowledged in a tribute to the late singer. Nick had filed a restraining order against Aaron in 2019.
View this post on Instagram
Aaron released a self-titled album at the age of 9 and went on to establish himself as a star amongst pre-teen and teenage audiences in his early career. Further, he was a regular on Nickelodeon, appearing in Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, 7th Heaven and more. As an adult, he turned towards rap and appeared on the US Dancing with the Stars.
Carter has publicly struggled with drug abuse and mental illnesses throughout his career. In a two-part interview on The Doctors in 2019, he shared his diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, manic depression and anxiety. The segments also involved Aaron’s mother and her battles against alcoholism. In 2012, Leslie Carter, Aaron’s sister and also a singer, died of an overdose in her bathroom. She was 25 years old.
Since the news broke, stars across Hollywood have paid tribute to the late pop star. Footage shared online showed the Backstreet Boys remembering the late rapper in a performance that took place on Sunday night, where they sang ‘Breathe’, in his memory.
Carter’s Lizzie McGuire co-star and former girlfriend Hillary Duff shared her condolences on Instagram. “I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in front of the whole world. You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent… boy did my teenage self love you deeply.”
View this post on Instagram
