Singer and rapper Aaron Carter has died at the age of 34. He was the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter.
The website TMZ said Carter was found dead in his bath at his home in Lancaster, California, on Saturday morning. Representatives of his team confirmed his death, PA reported.
"Right now it's a really bad time, we're trying to figure out what happened and what the cause of it was," they said.
TMZ also reported Los Angeles County police arrived at the scene at around 11:00 local time (18:00 GMT) after receiving a report of a drowning.
Carter started his career opening for the boy band Backstreet Boys on a number of tours and concerts, and also had a successful solo career.
During the late 90s and early noughties, he sold millions of copies of his four albums, the first of which was when he was only nine years old.
His second album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It), was released in 2000 and went triple platinum.
It featured the singles I Want Candy, Aaron's Party (Come Get It) and That's How I Beat Shaq. Following the album, he again supported the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears on the Oops!... I Did It Again tour.
Aaron Carter is the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick
As he grew older, Carter transitioned into rap, and also appeared in Broadway musicals and on the US TV show Dancing With The Stars.
He faced a number of struggles, checking in to rehab several times and filing a bankruptcy petition in 2013 over millions of dollars of debt, much of it tax-related.
He also had several run-ins with authorities over drug possession and reckless driving.
Earlier this year he told the Daily Mail he wanted no longer to be seen as a "train wreck".
Carter's son Prince was born in 2021 and according to The Hollywood Reporter, he checked into rehab earlier this year in a bid to gain custody of him.
Following the announcement of Carter's death, Prince's mother Melanie Martin issued a statement saying she was "still in the process of accepting this unfortunate reality".
"Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated," she added.
source(BBC)