Aaron Carter’s death ruled an accidental drowning

The late singer Aaron Carter died last year in an accidental drowning at his Southern California home, according to autopsy results obtained Tuesday by CBS News.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office determined that the 34-year-old drowned in his bathtub after inhaling difluoroethane, a flammable gas, and taking alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication often sold under the brand name Xanax.

The autopsy noted that difluoroethane is “commonly used as a propellant in air spray cleaners for electronic devices and can induce feelings of euphoria when inhaled” — and can lead to cardiac arrest — while alprazolam can cause “drowsiness and sedation.”

The combined effects of the two caused him to become “incapacitated” and drown in the bathtub, the autopsy found.

Carter, the younger brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, died Nov. 5 at his home in Lancaster, located just north of Los Angeles. He was discovered by a housekeeper, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

Carter had been open about his ongoing struggles with substance abuse and mental illness.

“Addiction and mental illness is the real villain here,” Nick Carter wrote in a social media post paying tribute to his brother following his death. 

The singer was known for several hits in the early 2000s, including “I Want Candy” and “That’s How I Beat Shaq.” He toured with the Backstreet Boys and had several movie and television credits.