Aaron Carter has died at age 34. Photo: FRAZER HARRISON / AFP
Singer and rapper Aaron Carter has died at the age of 34.
He was the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter.
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.
"We're just as upset as everyone and hope that fans can give thoughts and prayers to his family."
TMZ also reported Los Angeles County police arrived at the scene at around 11am local time after receiving a report of drowning.
Carter started his career opening for the 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.
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 and filling 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 possession and reckless driving.
Earlier this year he told the Daily Mail he vied to no longer be seen as a "train wreck".
"I am not how some people try to paint me," he told the outlet. "If somebody wants to call me a train wreck, well I've been a train that's been wrecked multiple times and derailed by many different things."
- BBC
