Heavy The cause of death of a DWTS alum has his family confused.
The official cause of death of entertainer and former “Dancing With the Stars” competitor, Aaron Carter, has been released by the medical examiner’s office.
The autopsy report indicates that Carter died from “drowning and the effects of difluoroethane,” according to Page Six. Carter had previously revealed that he had an addiction to huffing — difluoroethane is a liquefied compressed gas. Carter’s confession came during a 2019 appearance on “The Doctors.”
“It’s something that I’ve kept secret from the whole world until now,” Carter said at the time.
Meanwhile, generic form of Xanax was also found in his system and the medical examiner concluded that it was the mix of the difluoroethane and the drugs that contributed to his sudden death.
Carter was found dead inside a bathtub in his home on November 5, 2022, according to TMZ. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner concluded that Carter’s death was accidental. However, his fiancee, Melanie Martin, has been left with even more questions after getting the news.
Here’s what you need to know:
Melanie Martin Says She Doesn’t ‘Understand’ What Happened to Aaron Carter
When Carter was found in the bathtub, reports indicate that he was fully clothed. Martin told TMZ that this “doesn’t make sense.”
“The results of the autopsy are not closure for me. It claims death is by drowning but also adds he was wearing a t-shirt and necklace in the bathtub which doesn’t make sense, why would he be in a bathtub with clothes on? I am still in shock and still miss Aaron every day. I don’t understand the chain of events and this report only has us asking more questions,” she said.
Carter’s mother, Jane Schneck, has also been outspoken about the manner of her son’s death, posting on Facebook trying to get answers. She even shared photos of the bathtub where her son was found dead.
“I want to share these death scene photos with you all because the coroner wrote it off as an accidental drug overdose,” Jane Schneck (formerly Jane Carter) captioned the post, uploaded on March 1, 2023. She has been urging police to launch an investigation into Carter’s death and, on March 3, 2023, she said that an investigation was underway.
“I’m so happy. The Los Angeles PD is really looking seriously into Aarons death as a possible Homicide. It means that he will get justice. I’m really hoping that they can prove he did not do that to himself. He had everything to live for,” she wrote on Facebook.
Schneck has yet to speak out about the medical examiner’s conclusion.
Heavy previously reached out to Schneck for comment but didn’t hear back.
Aaron Carter’s Family Will Move Forward With a Celebration of Life
While those closest to Carter appear to still have questions left unanswered about his death, a celebration of life is expected to be held in the coming weeks, according to his former rep.
“We are glad this case is finally closed so we can have a celebration of life and send him off to rest,” a rep by the name Kelly K. told Page Six after the autopsy results were completed.
Kelly K. admitted that there is still some concern about Carter’s death that the family is hoping to figure out.
“However, we know two people were at his house leading up to his death and are puzzled as to why those two haven’t been properly identified and/or investigated,” Carter’s former rep said.
Over the past several weeks, Carter’s mother has been sharing all kinds of photos and text messages on her Facebook page in hopes of getting answers. On March 31, 2023, Schneck shared photos of Carter with another man whom he was supposedly with at a Walmart before he died. It’s unknown who the man in the photos with Carter is or what his relationship to Carter was.