Pop star Aaron Carter rose to fame in the late '90s as a singer and went on to become an actor as well, but tragically passed away in November at the age of just 34. At the time of his death, reports suggested that he'd drowned in his bathtub with no evidence of foul play, and it wasn't until April that an official cause of death was determined and revealed publicly. That said, fiancée Melanie Martin still has questions.
According to TMZ, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has found that Aaron Carter drowned in his bathtub after taking a drug called alprazolam and inhaling compressed difluoroethane. Alprazolam is the generic form of Xanax. The report states that he became incapacitated due to the mixture of drugs while in his tub and drowned after going under the water, making the official ruling on his death accidental.
TMZ also cites the autopsy report stating that prescription drug bottles were found in his home in Lancaster, CA, as well as multiple cans of compressed air. The autopsy report findings come after months of those close to Aaron Carter opening up about him, as well as some sharing suspicions of foul play. Taylor Helgeson, who had been the singer's manager, said that Carter didn't seem physically okay. Carter's mother, Jane Carter, also called for a "real investigation" into his death.
As for fiancée Melanie Martin, she also has spoken up multiple times in the wake of Aaron Carter's death, including after he was left out of the "In Memoriam" segment of the 2023 Grammys. Shortly after Jane Carter's call for a "real investigation," Martin shed more light on his death and that "many factors discussed with the police and coroner do not add up" to death by overdose for her. According to TMZ, the family had claimed that no water was found in his lungs.
Melanie Martin's suspicions have evidently not been allayed by the coroner's report, as she told the outlet this on April 18 after the news broke that Aaron Carter's death had been ruled accidental:
The results of the autopsy are not closure for me. It claims death is by drowning but also adds he was wearing a t-shirt and necklace in the bathtub which doesn't make sense, why would he be in a bathtub with clothes on? I am still in shock and still miss Aaron every day. I don’t understand the chain of events and this report only has us asking more questions.
She did not call for further investigation when she shared that she's only "asking more questions," but the lack of "closure" could mean that she and his family aren't finished looking for more satisfactory answers. Aaron Carter's family of course includes Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, who penned an emotional tribute to his late brother in the wake of his death back in November.
The reveal of the official findings regarding his death is the latest development in this tragic story; whether it's the last remains to be seen, and we can only hope that his family gets the closure that they need. Aaron Carter also left behind a young son, who he shared with Melanie Martin. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with his family, friends, and loved ones as this difficult period continues.
