Bobbie Jean Carter, sister of Aaron Carter, died Saturday at the age of 41. Her 8-year-old daughter Bella is now reportedly in the care of her grandmother Jane.
Jane, the mother of Bobbie Jean and Aaron Carter, took Bella in following the death of her mother, People reports. The details surrounding Bobbie Jean’s death remain unclear. According to a source close to the family, however, she went into cardiac arrest and died at home.
On Saturday, Jane gave a statement to TMZ expressing her shock and grief at the unexpected loss of her daughter.
“I am in shock from learning of the sudden death of my daughter, Bobbie Jean; and I will need time to process the terrible reality of this happening for the third time,” she said. “When I am able to think clearly, I’ll release a fuller statement; but until then I would request to be left to grieve in private.”
“[H]owever deeply a parent feels the loss of a child, the suffering of a young child at the loss of a parent must be much greater,” she added. “So, I would ask the sympathetic to say a prayer for my precious eight-year-old granddaughter Bella, who previously lost her father and is now also left without her mother.”
The death of Bobbie Jean marks the third loss of a child for Jane Carter. Before the latest incident, the matriarch suffered the death of her son Aaron, who died at 34 in November 2022. Her daughter Leslie died in 2012.
Unlike her famous siblings, Bobbie Jean Carter led a life out of the spotlight. According to TMZ, she was a wardrobe stylist and makeup artist for her younger brother Aaron in the early 2000s. She lived a mostly private life with her young daughter Bella.
Angel Carter Pays Tribute to Late Sister Bobbie Jean
On Sunday, Angel Carter, younger sister of Bobbie Jean and twin to Aaron, took to Instagram to pen a touching tribute to her late sibling.
“To my older sister Bobbie,” she began alongside a collection of images of Bobbie Jean Carter. “You had a great sense of humor, and a lively spirit. Growing up, I was your baby, and you were my best friend.”
“Life wasn’t fair to you, that I know. Sometimes, it feels like you didn’t have a shot, no matter what. Experiencing innocence instead of being burdened by trauma, pain, and suffering is incredibly important for children, particularly at such a young age.”
Angel Carter then spoke of the loss of not one but three siblings, saying she knows “why Leslie, Aaron, and now you ended up in the circumstances that you did.”
“I share that pain we experienced during our childhood,” she added. “I’m sorry you didn’t have an opportunity for a better life I love you BJ, you’re free now.”
Angel Carter concluded her tribute by directing readers to On Our Sleeves. According to their official website, the organization’s goal is to ensure that “mental health is part of the upbringing of every child.”