Bobbie Jean Carter, sister of Nick and Aaron Carter, from the Backstreet Boys, died Saturday morning in Florida at the age of 41.
The death of Bobbie Jean was confirmed by her mother, Jane, in a statement issued to TMZ. This tragedy comes just one year after the Carter family mourned the loss of Aaron Carter, at the age of 34. “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,” she said.
Bobbie Jean’s exact cause of death was not reported. Jane expressed her profound grief, and notified the press she would return with updates at a later 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 TMZ.
Jane noted the challenges that Bobbie Jean’s young child is now forced to contend with.
“However 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,” she said.
Bobby Jean was affectionately known as “BJ,” and at one point, spent much of her time behind the scenes in the music business, alongside her famous brothers. She was a wardrobe stylist and makeup artist for Nick and Aaron and was known to tour with them in the early 2000s, according to TMZ.
She appeared in eight episodes of the family’s E! reality television show, “House of Carters,” before slowly removing herself from the spotlight to live a more private lifestyle, according to TMZ.
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Bobbie Jean’s struggles with addiction and substance abuse was well documented on the show, and continued to be an ongoing struggle for her. She also experienced run-ins with the law.
In addition to Aaron and Bobbie Jean’s death, the Carter family also lost another sibling, Leslie, in 2012. Leslie died as a result of an overdose, and Aaron’s death was ruled a drowning, which was also drug-related, according to TMZ.
Nick and Angel are the only blood-related siblings remaining.
Angel paid tribute to Bobbie Jean with a heartfelt message shared on social media, December 24. (RELATED: ‘8 Mile’ Actor Nashawn Breedlove’s Cause Of Death Revealed)
“I Love you BJ, you’re free now,” she wrote.
“You had a great sense of humor, and a lively spirit. Growing up, I was your baby, and you were my best friend. Life wasn’t fair to you, that I know. Sometimes, it feels like you didn’t have a shot, no matter what,” she wrote.