Bobbie Jean Carter, the sister of Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter, died unexpectedly on Dec. 23 in Florida, her family confirmed.
Ms. Carter’s cause of death is not yet known. She was 41.
Her mother, Jane Carter, issued a statement to entertainment tabloid TMZ.
“I am in shock from learning of the sudden death of my daughter, Bobbie Jean; and I will need time to process the terrible reality of this happening for the third time. When I am able to think clearly, I’ll release a fuller statement; but until then I would request to be left to grieve in private,” she told the publication.
She added: “[H]owever deeply a parent feels the loss of a child, the suffering of a young child at the loss of a parent must be much greater. So, I would ask the sympathetic to say a prayer for my precious eight year old granddaughter Bella, who previously lost her father and is now also left without her mother.”
Troubled Life
Ms. Carter struggled with addiction and substance abuse over the years, which was documented on the family’s reality TV show “House of Carters.” The show aired in 2006 and followed the lives of Nick Carter and his four siblings.
According to IMDB, she was featured in eight episodes.
She also had troubles with the law earlier this year, with police saying in an arrest report obtained by TMZ in mid-June that she was taken into custody for stealing half a dozen items at a Hobby Lobby store. The items were valued at just over $55.
Authorities said that she had white and purple colored powders in a container, which came back positive for fentanyl. She was ultimately charged with one count of retail theft and one count of possession of fentanyl, according to the report.
Ms. Carter is the third member of the Carter family to meet an early death. Last year, her younger brother, singer and rapper Aaron Carter, was found dead at the age of 34 in a bathtub at his Southern California home. An autopsy report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner found that the late singer drowned as a result of sedatives he’d taken and gas used in spray cleaners he had inhaled.
In 2012, Ms. Carter’s younger sister, Leslie, died after falling in the shower at the age of 25. Officials said that she had suffered an overdose of prescription medication.
Angel Carter Remembers Her Older Sister
The day after Ms. Carter was found dead at her Florida home, her younger sister, Angel Carter, remembered her in a post on social media, saying: “To my older sister Bobbie. You had a great sense of humor, and a lively spirit. Growing up, I was your baby, and you were my best friend. … Experiencing innocence instead of being burdened by trauma, pain, and suffering is incredibly important for children, particularly at such a young age.
“I know why Leslie, Aaron, and now you ended up in the circumstances that you did. I share that pain we experienced during our childhood and I’m sorry you didn’t have an opportunity for a better life,” the post reads.
“We all need to break down barriers, reduce stigmas, and cultivate a society where seeking mental health support is met with understanding and encouragement. This starts with our children, and creating healthy conversation within the home.”