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Aaron Carter's ex Melanie Martin reveals losing custody of son Prince was late singer's 'real downfall'

Melanie Martin says Aaron Carter was 'thinking about his family all the time' in weeks before his death
UPDATED MAY 3, 2023
Melanie Martin has opened up about Aaron Carter's tragic death in a new ABC documentary (Instagram/@aaroncarter)
Melanie Martin has opened up about Aaron Carter's tragic death in a new ABC documentary (Instagram/@aaroncarter)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late American singer and rapper, Aaron Carter's new ABC News Studios documentary which is out now on Hulu, gives an insight into the popstar's tragic story from child stardom at age 9 to his death at 34. On November 5 last year, Carter was found drowned and unresponsive in his bathtub after he took prescription pills. His ex-fiancee Melanie Martin, manager Taylor Helgeson and friend AJ McLean, who's in the Backstreet Boys with Aaron's brother Nick Carter, detailed his tempestuous final months in a new documentary. 

Carter spoke about being on a better path in his own eerie words just a month before he died. According to the documentary, Carter's struggle with addiction and other mental health issues had taken a toll on him last summer. He and Martin who shared a volatile relationship, welcomed their son Prince in November 2021. It served as a high point for the 'I Want Candy' singer following his struggles with his family, including his estrangement from Nick. However, Martin has now confirmed the speculation about how Carter felt about losing custody of his son Prince.

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Carter apparently felt the urge of getting back on the road, touring, to provide for his new family. Helgeson said Carter pretended things were normal but he seemed "very lost" and "in a lot of personal pain." His manager also said that Carter tried to revive his career for years but was jeered nightly onstage. 

Aaron Carter's struggle with mental health 

Carter's personal life was also far away from normal. He revealed in 2019 that he'd been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and acute anxiety. Martin said that Carter reached his breaking point when she lost custody of Prince to her mother, per a court mandate amid drug and domestic abuse concerns. 



 

'I think that the real downfall was him losing custody'

"At the end of '22 his mental health was not all there," his fiance Melanie Martin said according to Yahoo. "Aaron and I did lose custody of Prince. I think that the real downfall was him losing custody and not knowing what was going to happen. Basically, Aaron had a manic episode. We had a heated fight and it was lingering on for a few days." She said that Cater was under immense pressure to rebuild his career, and their relationship and "was thinking about family all the time. It was a lot for one person to handle, let alone someone who says they have mental health issues." Martin, fortunately, regained custody of her son last year.



 

Aaron Carter entered an outpatient program

Carter also struggled with huffing and opioid addiction. Last September, he announced that he was voluntarily entering an outpatient program, to regain custody of his son. However, while doing an Instagram live a week later, it sound like he was huffing. Even though he denied it to the public, he finally decided to tell the truth to his manager. 

Aaron Carter attends WE tv Celebrates the 100th Episode of the
Aaron Carter reportedly entered rehab to gain custody of his baby son Prince (Presley Ann/Getty Images)

'He was stuck in a very long addiction

"The huffing thing — that was a pretty good indicator that it was hitting the fan," Aaron's manager Taylor Helgeson said. "He denied it... I kept pressing the issue and eventually, he owned that" it had happened. "He was stuck in a really deep, very long addiction that he battled his whole life. By the time he realized he needed to beat that monster, I think the monster was a little too big."

A plan was reportedly put in place for him to get in-patient treatment in a Utah facility, Carter's team and addiction counselor said. However, he was adamant and wanted to settle Prince's custody issue first. It took a drastic turn from there as he started canceling shows and missed session dates. Former child star Christy Carlson Romano, who's also featured in the doc, revealed that Carter did not turn up for her podcast in October. 

Aaron Carter was filming a sitcom before his death

Carter was filming a pilot for a sitcom called 'Group' in October, just a few weeks before his death. It was a show about group therapy and mental health advocacy. In the documentary, it was revealed that Carter spoke about his trouble on the set. "I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders," Carter began. "I've seen a lot. I've been through a lot. But mostly I'm judged without ever having a chance to share my side of the story and, trust me, there's always two sides to every story." He went on to say there's "a stigma against me — like I'm this bad guy. If people just listened — if they really, really listened — they'd know it doesn't just stem from me. Blame it on childhood. Blame it on circumstances. Blame it on my brother. But just know that I've turned it around and I've got a lot to say."

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