Aaron Carter’s Twin Sister Angel Opens Up About 3 Siblings Dying Young: ‘Generational Dysfunction’

The late Aaron Carter’s twin sister, Angel Carter, did not hold back when discussing the “generational dysfunction” that she believes led to the early deaths of three of her four siblings.

Angel, 36, sat down with Gayle King for an interview about her family on CBS Mornings on Wednesday, April 23. The talk show host, 69, asked Angel what might have led to siblings Leslie, Aaron and Bobbi Jean’s tragic deaths, all results of substance abuse issues.

"There's certainly a generational dysfunction issue here that comes along with it, 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 explained. "Just fighting. 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."

Angel added that fame played into the dysfunction. Oldest sibling Nick Carter shot to stardom as a member of the Backstreet Boys, while Aaron found fame with his 2000 single “I Want Candy.”

“I think it changed everything, honestly," she said of her brothers’ fame. "Nick has been in Backstreet Boys since I was four or five years old. So, a really long time. We were a family that had no money. We were from upstate New York. My parents [Robert and Jane Carter] were poor. And they had never seen anything like this before. So, once the money started coming in, it just changed the dynamic because money became the moving force."

Leslie, the third oldest Carter sibling, died at 25 years old in 2012 after a drug overdose. Youngest sibling Aaron died at 34 in 2022 after an accidental drowning due to the effects of difluoroethane, a gas in air spray cleaners, and alprazolam, a generic form of Xanax. Bobbi Jean, the second oldest Carter sibling, passed away at 41 years old in December 2023 from intoxication of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Angel has previously spoken out about her and her siblings’ childhood, alluding to their experiences in an Instagram tribute to Bobbie Jean after her death.

“Experiencing innocence instead of being burdened by trauma, pain, and suffering is incredibly important for children, particularly at such a young age,” she wrote. “I know why Leslie, Aaron, and now you ended up in the circumstances that you did. I share that pain we experienced during our childhood and I’m sorry you didn’t have an opportunity for a better life.”

Angel told Gayle that she is now dedicated to breaking the cycle with her child, Harper Noelle Conrad, whom she shares with husband Corey Conrad. She also began working with the children’s mental health organization On Our Sleeves after Aaron’s death.

"Children’s mental health is so important, and we want to create a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing. And that’s what I’m doing with my daughter, I’m creating a world where there is structure, there is discipline, there is innocence,” she said. “Children need to have their innocence and Aaron did not. He was working like an adult from a very young age. And he just wanted to be home."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).