Aaron Carter Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy Settle With the Estate

Aaron Carter’s estate has settled its wrongful death claims against Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy. A court filing dated October 15, 2026, reported by Billboard and Rolling Stone, says the parties reached a settlement resolving all claims between the estate and the two pharmacies. The terms are confidential, so the amount has not been made public.

The settlement does not end the case. Claims against dentist Jason Mirabile remain pending.

This is a private wrongful death case brought on behalf of Carter’s young son. It is not a class action, and there is no claim form or public compensation program. A settlement is also not a court finding that either pharmacy was at fault.

Quick Facts: Aaron Carter Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy

Detail	Information
Deceased	Aaron Carter, singer, died November 5, 2022, at age 34
Plaintiff	Princeton “Prince” Lyric Carter, Carter’s minor son and sole heir, through his mother, Melanie Martin
Lawsuit filed	October 2023, Los Angeles County Superior Court
Settling defendants (October 2026)	Walgreens; Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy
Earlier settling defendants (May 2026)	Dr. John Faber and Amen Clinics Los Angeles
Remaining defendant	Dentist Jason Mirabile
Court filing announcing pharmacy settlement	Dated October 15, 2026
Settlement amount	Confidential
Estate attorney	Marc Lazo
Trial of remaining claims	Reported as January 2027; earlier reports said October 2026 (confirm with the court)
Cause of death (medical examiner)	Drowning, with the effects of difluoroethane and alprazolam; manner: accident
Public claim form or deadline	None
Case number	Not verified against the court’s own records

What Aaron Carter’s Family Alleged Against Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy

The lawsuit was filed in October 2023 by Melanie Martin, Carter’s former fiancée, on behalf of their son. It alleged that two doctors and two pharmacies overprescribed and supplied Carter with excessively high and unreasonably frequent amounts of Xanax before he drowned. The complaint also named hydrocodone and oxycodone and alleged that prescribers and pharmacies did not check California’s prescription-monitoring database.

According to Rolling Stone’s earlier reporting on the case, the family’s lawyers alleged that Walgreens and the other pharmacy, listed in court papers as MVP, repeatedly filled competing Xanax prescriptions written by Carter’s psychiatrist and his dentist in the five months before his death. They pointed to 60 tablets dispensed by Walgreens on October 12, 2022, and 30 tablets dispensed by the other pharmacy on October 25, 2022.

What Walgreens Said in Court About the Aaron Carter Xanax Claims

Walgreens’s lawyer argued at an earlier hearing that Carter’s autopsy showed a therapeutic level of Xanax and that he died from drowning, not from a properly dispensed medication. A Walgreens pharmacist stated in a sworn declaration that she checked the prescription-monitoring database and spoke with the prescribing doctor. A judge nonetheless ruled last year that Carter’s son had a right to a jury trial on claims against the doctors and pharmacies.

Those are the defendants’ positions in earlier proceedings, not findings. The settlement means no jury ever decided who was right.

What the Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy Settlement Does and Does Not Mean

The confidential agreement resolves every claim between the estate and the two pharmacies. Lazo told reporters the estate was pleased with a mutually agreed resolution, was satisfied the matter was resolved as to those parties, and was glad to bring it to a close for the sake of Carter’s young son. Attorneys for Walgreens and the Santa Monica pharmacy declined to comment.

Because the terms are confidential, the public does not know how much was paid, whether the two pharmacies paid different amounts, or whether the agreement has non-monetary terms. A settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing and is not a ruling on cause or fault.

Why a Court Filing Announced the Aaron Carter Settlement

The plaintiff is a minor. In California, settlements on behalf of a minor generally need court approval under Code of Civil Procedure § 372, and that court oversight is one reason settlements in a case like this surface in the court file. The reports reviewed do not describe the approval process for this settlement.

What Happened to Aaron Carter on November 5, 2022

Carter was found dead in the bathtub of his Lancaster, California, home by a housekeeper. The Los Angeles County medical examiner announced on April 18, 2023, that he died of drowning due to the effects of difluoroethane and alprazolam (the generic name for Xanax). The manner of death was classified as accidental.

The medical examiner’s findings do not decide the civil case. The lawsuit asked whether each defendant met the standard of care and whether any breach legally caused the death. Defendants have argued in court that inhaled difluoroethane, not Xanax, caused Carter’s death.

Earlier Aaron Carter Settlement With Amen Clinics and Dr. John Faber

In May 2026, the estate reached a confidential settlement with Dr. John Faber and Amen Clinics Los Angeles, the first defendants to settle. Rolling Stone reported that, according to the filing, the value was within the ballpark of the damages the family had sought from them, which was less than $325,000. Amen Clinics has maintained that it followed the standard of care.

Why Aaron Carter’s Lawsuit Against Dentist Jason Mirabile Continues

The pharmacy settlement does not touch the claims against Mirabile. Rolling Stone’s earlier coverage reported that he prescribed Xanax and Norco to Carter at 13 of 15 visits, and that his motion for summary judgment was denied. His side has argued that Carter sought treatment for tooth decay and fractured veneers and a full mouth reconstruction. His attorney declined comment when the earlier settlement was reported.

Earlier reports said the remaining defendants were set for an October 2026 trial. A Hoodline summary of Billboard’s report says Mirabile’s case is now headed for trial in January 2027. Confirm the date against the Los Angeles Superior Court docket before relying on it.

What Damages Could Aaron Carter’s Son Recover in the Wrongful Death Case?

A wrongful death claim compensates the surviving family member for their own losses, not for the deceased person’s pain. In an earlier ruling, the judge scaled the case back after finding that only the estate’s personal administrator could seek damages for harm Carter suffered before his death. The estate’s administrator, a professional fiduciary, chose not to file such a claim, according to Rolling Stone.

California’s MICRA law caps noneconomic damages in professional negligence actions against health care providers (Civil Code § 3333.2, as amended effective 2023). The reports reviewed do not say whether or how a cap applies to the claims in this case.

What California Laws Apply to the Aaron Carter Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60: Who Can Sue for Aaron Carter’s Death

Section 377.60 lists who may bring a wrongful death action, including the decedent’s children. Carter’s son is the plaintiff, acting through his mother.

California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1: The Filing Deadline

Wrongful death actions must generally be filed within two years of the death. The family filed in October 2023, less than a year after Carter died.

California Health and Safety Code § 11153: A Pharmacist’s Corresponding Responsibility

Under § 11153, a prescription for a controlled substance must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose, and the law places a corresponding responsibility on the pharmacist who fills it. A claim that a pharmacy filled prescriptions it should have questioned is the type of claim this duty can support. The reports do not say which statutes the complaint cites.

California Health and Safety Code § 11165.4: Prescribers and the CURES Database

Under § 11165.4, a prescriber must check California’s CURES prescription-monitoring database before first prescribing a Schedule II, III or IV controlled substance and at least once every six months after that while the patient continues to receive it. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance. The family alleged that the defendants did not check the database, and Walgreens has said its pharmacist did.

What Happens Next in the Aaron Carter Estate Case?

The case now turns to Mirabile. The remaining claims can end at a jury trial, by settlement, or by a ruling that resolves them in advance. The confidential pharmacy agreements do not decide any of those questions.

Can Walgreens Customers Claim Money From the Aaron Carter Settlement?

No. There is no class, claims administrator or public fund. Other customers of Walgreens or Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy are not owed anything under this agreement. A person who believes a medication was prescribed or dispensed negligently would have to assess their own case under California law, including the deadlines.

How This Compares to Other Wrongful Death Cases We Have Covered

For a fatal hospital-care dispute that turns on medical records and causation, see Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew Sues Novant Health Over Mother Juanita Jones’ Fatal Hospital Fall. For another wrongful death case resolved by a negotiated payment, see Wabbington v. Boyd, $200,000 Wrongful Death Settlement Paid to Baby Wabbington’s Estate in New Mexico.

Each has different facts and different law, and neither gives anyone a right to recover from the Carter settlement.

Key Dates in the Aaron Carter Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Date	Event
November 5, 2022	Aaron Carter is found dead in his Lancaster, California, home
April 18, 2023	Los Angeles County medical examiner announces cause and manner of death
October 2023	Melanie Martin files the wrongful death lawsuit for her son in Los Angeles County
May 2026	Confidential settlement with Dr. John Faber and Amen Clinics
October 15, 2026	Court filing says all claims against Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy are resolved
October 21–22, 2026	Billboard and Rolling Stone report the pharmacy settlement
January 2027	Reported trial of remaining claims against Jason Mirabile (confirm with the court)

Frequently Asked Questions About the Aaron Carter Walgreens Settlement

How much did Walgreens pay in the Aaron Carter settlement?

The amount has not been disclosed. The terms are confidential.

Did Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy also settle with Aaron Carter’s estate?

Yes. The filing says the settlement resolves all claims against both Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy.

Did Walgreens admit fault in the Aaron Carter lawsuit?

No admission has been reported. A settlement does not establish negligence or a legal finding about cause.

Who filed the Aaron Carter wrongful death lawsuit?

Melanie Martin filed it in 2023 on behalf of her and Carter’s son, Princeton Lyric Carter, who is Carter’s sole heir.

Is the Aaron Carter lawsuit over?

No. The estate has settled with Dr. John Faber and Amen Clinics, and now with Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy. Claims against dentist Jason Mirabile remain pending.

What did the medical examiner say caused Aaron Carter’s death?

Drowning due to the effects of difluoroethane and alprazolam, with the manner of death classified as accidental.

Is there a claim form for the Aaron Carter Walgreens settlement?

No. It is an individual wrongful death case, not a class action.

When is the trial against dentist Jason Mirabile?

Earlier reports pointed to October 2026. Later reporting says January 2027. Check the court docket for the current date.

Sources and Legal References

1. Rolling Stone, Aaron Carter Estate Reaches Settlement With Walgreens Over Xanax Prescriptions, October 21–22, 2026.
2. Billboard, Aaron Carter Family Settles Death Lawsuit With Walgreens, October 2026 (first to report the settlement).
3. Hoodline, Aaron Carter Estate Settles With Walgreens, Keeps Fighting Dentist Over Xanax, October 22, 2026 (reported trial date).
4. Rolling Stone, Aaron Carter Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Xanax Prescriptions Is Scaled Back but Survives.
5. Rolling Stone, Aaron Carter’s Family Reaches Settlement With Psychiatry Clinic Over Xanax Prescriptions, May 2026.
6. Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, Cause and Manner of Death Determined for Aaron Charles Carter, April 18, 2023.
7. California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, § 335.1 and § 372; Health and Safety Code §§ 11153 and 11165.4; Civil Code § 3333.2, through the California Legislative Information site.
8. Los Angeles Superior Court, civil case search (for the docket and current trial date).

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a legal information website, not a law firm, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Anyone with questions about a possible wrongful death or malpractice claim in California should consult a licensed California attorney.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against Rolling Stone and Billboard reporting on the court filings, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s announcement, and the California statutes cited, as of October 26, 2026. Last Updated: October 26, 2026.