Leslie Carter, 25, died of overdose, officials say
Undated file photo of Nick Carter and sister Leslie Carter. Credit: Getty Images
Leslie Carter, sister of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter and Aaron Carter, suffered an overdose and was taking three prescription drugs at the time of her death Tuesday, ABCNews.com reported. She was 25.
The drugs were identified as the antipsychotic olanzapine, known under a variety of brand names; the muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine, also known by the brand name Flexeril; and the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, trade name Xanax.
An autopsy Tuesday by the Chautauqua County coroner's office found "no visible signs of trauma," coroner Richard Mackowiak told E! News. The body had been released to the family, he added.
"Our family is grieving right now and it's a private matter. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved sister, daughter, and granddaughter Leslie Carter. We request the utmost privacy during this difficult time," the family said in a statement.
Aaron Carter, 24, announced he is taking a break from his role in the off-Broadway production of "The Fantasticks" to be with his family, according to E!
"I am with my family spending much needed time together as we deal with this private matter," he said in a statement. "I look forward to returning to my Fantasticks' Family and performing the role of ‘Matt' for all my amazing fans. Again, I request privacy for my family and no further statements will be made at this time. "
Leslie Carter was born in Tampa, Fla., one of five children of Jane and Bob Carter. She began singing at age 5 and eventually took up piano, clarinet and guitar. DreamWorks Records signed her in 1999, but shelved her debut album, "Like Wow!," which had been planned for an April 2001 release. The title track, however, appeared on the soundtrack of "Shrek" (2001) and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. She released two additional singles.
She went on to perform in a club tour in the mid-2000s, and appeared in E!'s 2006 reality TV show "House of Carters."
Carter married Mike Ashton in 2008 and moved to Toronto. The two have a 10-month-old daughter, Alyssa Jane.