Curse of the Carter family: How family has been dogged by drugs and heartache as three of Nick Carter's four younger siblings, including sisters Bobbie Jean and Leslie, and brother Aaron have all died from overdoses

The Carter family, whose brothers Nick and Aaron were mainstays of 1990s and early 2000s pop music, have been beset by drug problems, heartache and allegations, since their heyday. 

In the wake of the airing of the Investigation Discovery documentary Fallen Idols, which saw numerous women make allegations against Nick, the various tragedies that have beset the Carter family are coming back under the spotlight.   

Nick and Aaron were two of five children born to Bob Carter and the pair's 'momager' Jane Schneck. Nick is the oldest, followed by sister Bobbie Jean, then sister Leslie, Aaron, and his twin sister, Angel.

Having began their family in upstate New York, where they ran a bar named Yankee Rebel in the community of Westfield, when their children were young they decided to relocate to the Tampa-area in Florida to run an old folks home. 

Nick Carter soared to superstardom as a member of the Backstreet Boys in the 1990s, while Aaron's career skyrocketed with the 2000 chart-topper I Want Candy. 

The Carter family has been riddled by tragedy since brothers Nick and Aaron's success in music in the 1990s and 2000s 

Jane and Bob Carter, the parents of the five Carter children, pictured here in 2001. The couple split in 2004. Bob passed away in 2017

Bobbie Jean, like her brother Aaron and sister Leslie struggled with substance abuse.  Leslie died of a drug overdose at age 25 in 2012. Leslie, (center) died of an drug overdose in 2012 at 25. Aaron passed away from an accidental drowning to his drug use in November 2022 (Pictured in 2006)

Their parents split in 2004 and a year later Jane was arrested for attacking her estranged husband's new girlfriend and future wife, Ginger Elrod. No charges were filed but a restraining order was put in place.  

As both of the brother's music careers fizzled, the family became stars in the reality show, House of Carter, which launched in 2006. 

The siblings' upbringing and fractious dynamic was documented in E! show, House of Carters, which showed physical fights between Nick and Aaron, BJ's problem with alcohol and the family going to therapy to heal their wounds as they lived together for two months in LA.

In 2012, Leslie Carter, star of the family's reality show slipped and fell in the shower. Shortly after the accident, she went to take a nap and tragically would never wake up. She was 25 years old. 

A note written on her hospital chart indicated that drugs had been a factor in her death. A subsequent report found that she had Xanax, Zyprexa and a muscle relaxer in her system at the time of her death.

Her funeral made headlines, especially when it was discovered that Nick was absent. During an interview with Dr. Phil, Nick said that when he was told about her death, he felt that his family immediately were trying to blame him for the tragedy. 

In 2017, Bob Carter died at the age of 65 of a suspect heart attack.  

In 2012, Leslie Carter, star of the family's reality show slipped and fell in the shower. Shortly after the accident, she went to take a nap and tragically would never wake up

The most recent tragedy to strike the family occurred in December 2023 when Bobbie Jean, shown here in 2006, 41, was found dead in the bathroom of her Tampa home

'There’s certainly a generational dysfunction issue here that comes along with it,' Angel, Aaron's twin, shown here, said of her sibling's deaths 

Ten years later, Aaron Carter was found dead in eerily similar circumstances to his sister as he was found lifeless in a bathtub in his home after consuming the generic form of brand-name Xanax. 

His death was listed as accidental drowning. He was 34 years old. 

Aaron's battles with drugs were public knowledge and around the time of his death. He spoken openly about his struggles in an interview with People Magazine in 2018.

'I'm happy that I came out on the other side. I was a very happy baby growing up. [Now] I just want to have fun, be healthy - mind, body, soul, emotions ... all of those things, and really be responsible for my own actions too,' the one-time teen idol said. 

However just a year later, Nick filed a restraining order against Aaron, alleging he threatened to kill his pregnant wife and unborn child.

'After careful consideration, my sister Angel and I regret that we were required to seek a restraining order against our brother Aaron today,' Nick wrote at the time. 'We were left with no choice, but to take every measure possible to protect ourselves and our family.'

He added that he still loved Aaron and hope he would get 'the proper treatment he needs before any harm comes to himself or anyone else.'

Aaron responded to the restraining order at the time by tweeting: 'So my brother just got a restraining order against me. And I was just served lol.'

'Take care. @NickCarter we're done for life,' he continued. 'I haven't seen him in four years. And I don't intend to... I am astounded at the accusations being made against me, and I do not wish harm to anyone, especially my family.'

BJ died from a fentanyl and methamphetamine overdose aged 41 in December 2023 - following the heartbreaking losses of Leslie aged 25 in 2012 and Aaron in 2022 aged 34 (BJ, Leslie and Aaron are pictured 2006)

 In the aftermath of Aaron's death, a family friend told Page Six that he felt as though Nick could have done more to help his younger brother navigate the world of celebrity. 

'I wish [Nick] could have done a little more as a blood relative to Aaron. I’m not judging him. I’m not saying anything bad because I respect him. He’s a talented artist. I love him, but Aaron had an obsession with his brother,' said Gary Madatyan. 

The most recent tragedy to strike the family occurred in December 2023 when Bobbie Jean, 41, was found dead in the bathroom of her Tampa home.

Her cause of death was listed as 'intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine,' according to the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Department. She is survived by her daughter, Bella. 

Bobbie Jean was not really in the public eye but did work as her younger brother, Aaron's, stylist in the 2000s. 

The family matriarch Jane Carter issued a statement around the time of Bobbie Jean asking for time to grieve in private. 

At the time of her death, Bobbie Jean was on probation for cocaine possession when she died according to law enforcement - but her roommates had told them that she had not used any narcotics since her prison release. 

Just a few weeks after the tragedy, Nick posted on Instagram: 'It may take a lifetime to fully process the loss my family has endured over the years – most recently, with the sudden passing of our sister Bobbie Jean.'

In the wake of Aaron's death, a family friend said that he felt as though Nick could have done more to help his brother navigate showbusiness 

 Alongside the statement, he posted a picture of the pair playing together as children.  

Aaron's twin sister, Angel, gave an emotional interview to CBS Morning's Gayle King in April in which she spoke about the family's tragedies.  

'There’s certainly a generational dysfunction issue here that comes along with it,' Angel said of her sibling's deaths. 'But as far as growing up, there was a time where we were a really close family... there was a lot of love.'

'But there was a lot of chaos going on at the same time,' she added. 

'Just fighting, she continued. 'My parents were just fighting all the time. Just dysfunction in the home. No boundaries. No stability. No one to talk to. It just felt like, if I had an issue going on I really couldn't have my parents to lean on to.'

When asked if fame aggravated the family issues, Angel replied, 'I do.'

In Fallen Idols, further demons are revealed as three women interviews accuse Nic of sexual misconduct - Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp and Shay Ruth.

Carter denies all of the allegations against him, claiming his sexual assault accusers were 'orchestrated' to extort him and his attorney Dale Hayes Jr. told People that the claims are 'outrageous.'

The star's countersuit of his accusers for defamation is still pending in court, with his lawyer adding in a statement: 'Those cases are working their way through the legal system now, and, based on both the initial court rulings and the overwhelming evidence, we have every belief that we will prevail and hold them accountable for spreading these falsehoods.'