Bobbie Jean Carterwas found unresponsive in the bathroom of her Florida home on Dec. 23, the Hillsborough Sheriff’s department confirms to PEOPLE.
Carter was then immediately transported to the hospital, where she was laterpronounced dead. She was 41.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has opened a death investigation, and they also say deputies learned that Carter was on probation for cocaine possession at the time of her death.
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Carter’s roommates, however, told the deputies she had not used any narcotics since her release from prison — where PEOPLE confirmed she was held from late September to early November — and the sheriff’s office adds that no narcotics or paraphernalia were found in Carter’s bedroom or bathroom.
There were also no signs of foul play, say the authorities, who stayed with Carter’s daughter, Bella, 8, until her next of kin arrived from Orlando.
Although a family source initially said Bella was in the care of her grandmother, another Carter family source tells PEOPLE exclusively that she is staying with an aunt — her late father’s sister — at this time.
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Carter’s mother, Jane, paid tribute to her daughter on Saturday ina statement to TMZ.
“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, referring to the deaths of her sonAaron, who died at 34 in November 2022, and daughterLeslie, who died at 25 in 2012.
Aaron was initially found in the bathtub of his California home, and in April 2023, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coronerruled his death accidental. The report stated that Aaron was “incapacitated while in the bathtub,” ultimately leading to drowning as drugs difluoroethane and alprazolam (the generic form of brand-name Xanax) took effect.
source: people.com
