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Everyone grieves differently
By Alice Kelly — Written on Nov 08, 2022
While grieving his death, Aaron Carter’s ex-fiancée Melanie Martin has become the subject of online vitriol over her reaction to his passing.
Carter and Martin, who share a 10-month-old son named Prince, have had a tumultuous on-off relationship since early 2020.
After the 34-year-old was found dead in his home on November 5, Martin claimed the two were back on good terms before his death.
“I was really looking forward to getting married and having more children with him,” the model, 30, told Us Weekly.
“I feel like we were very close and I was looking forward to spending the holidays with my family again. I am beyond devastated waiting until I can meet my wonderful soulmate again. We never gave up on our love and I feel like we both couldn’t live without each other.”
However, social media trolls have been targeting Martin and questioning the sincerity of her grief.
Aaron Carter’s fans have accused Melanie Martin of capitalizing on her ex-fiancée’s death.
After Martin posted a now-deleted TikTok video showing herself crying hysterically after Carter’s death, fans shared some less-than-sympathetic reactions.
“I see no tears. It's fake crying,” reads one comment on a repost of the video.
She’s so disingenuous,” quips another.
Similar taunts decorate the comment sections of other videos of Martin. On one clip of Martin sobbing outside Carter’s home, commenters share more insensitive and unsubstantiated speculations.
“I personally think she had something to do with it,” writes one user.
Others defend Martin, pointing out that there is no correct way to grieve and everyone expresses emotions differently.
In the video in question, Martin states that she had not been home for several days before Carter was found dead.
While a cause of death has not been released, it is reported that police found evidence of compressed air canisters and medications in Carter's primary bedroom and bathroom.
Carter has openly battled substance abuse issues, including an addiction to huffing.
Due to Carter and Martin frequently airing out the more rocky aspects of their relationship, fans have been privy to many of their spats, causing many to form negative opinion the model.
Days before his death, Aaron Carter read a text from his ex saying he was ‘going to die.’
Carter read out the heated exchange with the mother of his child on his Instagram Live while fans watched.
"All I did was protect that girl, all I did," he uttered before quoting from the texts.
"Oh, now she says, 'I don't care anymore, blah blah blah.' Leave me alone, Melanie!" he states, growing agitated. "God, dude, can't you take a hint?"
"She just told me that 'you are going to die.' Wow."
After first going public with their relationship in January 2020, Martin was booked for domestic violence in March following an incident at the couple’s home.
The two soon reconciled and announced their engagement that same year. They split again a week after their son was born in November 2021.
At the time, Carter criticized Martin for allegedly communicating with his estranged twin sister Angel.
“I have the most conniving deceiving family and Melanie has been lying to me the whole time communicating with my twin sister and the family members who tried to put me in prison and who tried to get a conservatorship on me in court,” he tweeted on November 30.
The pair would reconcile and split another time before Martin filed a request for restraining orders against her son’s dad. Martin accused Carter of breaking her ribs in a dispute.
It is unclear whether the two were on good terms at the time of Carter’s death.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential.
Alice Kelly is YourTango’s Deputy News and Entertainment Editor. Based in Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.