Following an autopsy, Aaron Carter’s cause of death remains unknown two days after the singer and rapper was found dead in his Lancaster, CA home.
Carter, who publicly struggled with addiction for years, was found in his bathtub on the morning of November 5 by L.A. County sheriff’s deputies, but the coroner’s office has since indicated an autopsy did not reveal the cause of Carter’s death, with that finding being “deferred pending additional investigation.”
Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched at 10:58 a.m. after a house sitter discovered the unresponsive Carter in the bathtub. TMZ first reported that the onetime teen idol apparently drowned.
Carter, brother of Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, first grabbed the attention of tweens and teens coast to coast in 1997 when, at age nine, he released his debut, self-titled, album. Following the initial years of his success, Carter guest starred on shows, including Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Lizzie McGuire and 7th Heaven.
During a 2019 TV interview, Carter discussed his struggles with mental health, saying he suffered from dissociative identity disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. The former pop star turner rapper had recently enrolled in rehab for the fifth time, intent on regaining custody of his 10-month-old son.
🤍RIP🕊️ pic.twitter.com/9YJqY5TWKD
— Backstreet Boys (@backstreetboys) November 7, 2022
“We are shocked and utterly heartbroken to learn that Aaron has left us today,” his manager, Roger Paul, said in a statement. “Aaron is someone who we’ve cultivated a close relationship to over the last decade. He was adventurous and impulsive—many know about his recent wild days. But what a lot of people didn’t know about Aaron is that he was as tenderhearted as they come. He was courteous. He genuinely cared for others, and the love he felt for those around him was immeasurable; so much so, that we believe it’s safe to say it’s transcending timelines.”
My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed. pic.twitter.com/89lsEdX9f8
— Nick Carter (@nickcarter) November 6, 2022
Paul continued, “We can still feel his presence and warmth around us. Aaron knew sometimes he didn’t make the greatest decisions, but he suffered the consequences of that. He let himself be submerged in guilt, but continued to venture on, trying to make things right and trying to make amends. Aaron Carter truly loved life. He was free-spirited and sought all the pleasures and pleasantries this world has to offer. Because of this attitude and approach to living, he was able to give so freely and energetically when it came to his music and acting. We are sad to have to let him go, and we’ll miss him tremendously.”
A new album, titled Blacklisted had been set to release on Dec. 7, what would have been Carter’s 35th birthday, has now been released just one day after his death.
Stay on top of the latest in L.A. food and culture. Sign for our newsletters today
