Angel Carter Conrad is speaking out for the first time since her sister, Bobbie Jean Carter, died on Dec. 23 at the age of 41.
On Sunday morning, Conrad, 36, shared an emotional tribute to her older sister, whom she described as her "best friend" during their childhood.
"To my older sister Bobbie. You had a great sense of humor, and a lively spirit. Growing up, I was your baby, and you were my best friend," Conrad's message, which was posted on Instagram alongside a montage of photographs of Bobbie Jean when she was younger, began.
"Life wasn’t fair to you, that I know. Sometimes, it feels like you didn’t have a shot, no matter what," she continued.
Conrad then noted difficulties she said she and her siblings — including her twin brother Aaron Carter, who died in 2022, and sister Leslie, who diedin 2012 — experienced while growing up.
"Experiencing innocence instead of being burdened by trauma, pain, and suffering is incredibly important for children, particularly at such a young age. I know why Leslie, Aaron, and now you ended up in the circ*mstances that you did. I share that pain we experienced during our childhood and I’m sorry you didn’t have an opportunity for a better life," she wrote.
"We all need to break down barriers, reduce stigmas, and cultivate a society where seeking mental health support is met with understanding and encouragement," Conrad continued. "This starts with our children, and creating healthy conversation within the home," she added, before making a plea for her followers to focus on children's mental health and seek support.
"The generational dysfunction stops now. Please visit @onoursleevesofficial to learn more about how you can get involved, and how to be there for your loved ones," she added.
Conrad then concluded her tribute with a message of love to her late sister. "I love you BJ, you’re free now. 💔🕊️," she said.
TMZ first broke the news of Bobbie Jean's death on Saturday via a statement from her mother, Jane Carter.
Aaron Carter's Twin Sister Angel Opens Up About His Addiction: 'My Brother Deserves to Be Here' (Exclusive)
"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.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," Jane told the outlet.
Sources close to the Carters told PEOPLE the family believes Bobbie Jean died after going into cardiac arrest, though further details of what led up to her death remain unclear.
Bobbie Jean is survived by her daughter Bella, her parents and her siblings.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Bobbie-Jean-Carter-122323-1-ed028086aff643c38378ea5601978f53.jpg "Angel Carter Pays Tribute to Sister Bobbie Jean After Her Sudden Death: 'You’re Free Now' (1)")
Angel Carter Talks Breaking 'Generational Dysfunction' with Mental Health After Twin Brother Aaron's Death
Bobbie Jean is Conrad's third sibling to die since 2012.
Her sister Leslie died in January 2012 after a drug overdose at the age of 25. Her twin brother Aaron, meanwhile, died in November 2022 from an accidental drowning in a bathtub after taking Xanax and huffing compressed air,according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. He was 34.
In August, Conrad spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about losing her brother and sister. "Addiction has been a major issue in my family," she said. "And not only is there a biological basis to it but there really is a genetic component there."
According to Conrad, while Aaron and her older brother, Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter, rose to fame in the '90s pop music world, she and her sisters faced a difficult home life amid her parents Jane and Bob Carter's addiction struggles.
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"To lose a twin, it's an out-of-body experience. He's a part of me. And it was like when he died, I had this sense of, 'I've got to get him in my house. I've got to bring him home and protect him,'" Conrad told PEOPLE of Aaron's death. She kept his ashes and said she planned to bury him at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills.
She said one of the reasons she was able to avoid similar issues as her siblings is that she was the only one of the Carter siblings to accept Nick's offer to pay for therapy after the family filmed their E! reality series House of Carters in Los Angeles in 2006. "I had to break the cycle," she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
