When most remember the late ’90s and the Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, fond memories of dancing and singing to their songs rush to the forefront. Now, with the recent death of his sister Leslie, the public is instead warned of the danger of prescription drugs.
Ginger Carter, Leslie’s stepmother, openly admitted that Leslie had a history fraught with mental illness. The medications found at the scene paint a picture of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These included:
- Olanzapine for schizophrenia
- Xanax for anxiety and related panic symptoms
- Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxer
The morning of January 30, Leslie was showing signs of depression. After a falling incident in the shower, Leslie’s stepmother laid her down and through out the day was checking in on her. Around 4pm Leslie was no longer breathing. Mr. Carter performed CPR while Mrs. Carter called 911.
Chautauqua County coroner’s office will release the cause of death in 4 to 6 weeks once toxicology reports have been received. The public release of her reports will be decided by the Carter family.
Ginger Carter looked to be under the influence as well according to the incident report. Mrs. Carter claimed that she had taken nearly half a dozen pills that were prescribed for depression because of her stepdaughter passing away. The authorities stated that she had exhibited:
slurred speech
- pinpoint pupils
- glassy eyes
- lethargy
The reality of this situation is that prescriptions are too often thought to be harmless drugs. they are prescribed by a doctor with the intention of being used according to the instructions. Many former legal patients become addicted during the process of of treating a disorder. Incidents such as the death of Leslie Carter should teach the public that the recreational use of prescriptions is not only dangerous, but also deadly.
Leslie Carter Ashton is survived by Mike Ashton, her husband of 3 years and her 10-month old daughter, Allysa Jane.