A publicist confirmed that 25-year-old Leslie Carter, sister of US pop stars Nick and Aaron Carter, died in upstate New York but did not provide details of how or where she died:
An autopsy has been performed on Leslie’s body, and the medical examiner found “no visible signs of trauma”. TMZ has reported that sources said Leslie Carter was battling an addiction to prescription drugs and her family members believe she may have died as a result of an overdose.
However, Coroner Richard Mackowiak, of the Chautauqua County Coroner’s Office said, “We are awaiting a toxicology report to determine a cause of death. There were no visible signs of trauma. The body has been released to the family. Results of the toxicology test are made public at the discretion of the family.”
The toxicology report is expected to take between four and six weeks to complete.
An extremely distraught Nick Carter said of his sister’s sudden tragic death, “Performing is cathartic to me and I am dedicating the rest of my tour to my sister since she loved to watch me perform.”
As well as Nick and Aaron Carter, Leslie was an aspiring singer and she also had a musical career. Her single, “Like Wow!” was featured on the soundtrack to 2001 animated movie “Shrek”:
She also signed a record deal with Dreamworks in 1999 but a planned album was never released
The tight-knit Carter family released an official statement following Leslie’s death which said, “Our family is grieving right now and it’s a private matter. We are deeply saddened for the loss of our beloved sister, daughter, and granddaughter, Leslie Carter. We request the utmost privacy during this difficult time.”
Leslie Carter leaves behind her husband Mike Ashton (who she married in 2008) and their 10-month-old daughter Alyssa Jane Ashton.
Rest in peace, Leslie.
