Mariah Carey is a global superstar, but her life has been far from a fairy tale. While she has achieved unparalleled success, her relationships with her family have been fraught with difficulty. The Mariah Carey siblings, Morgan and Alison, have had a strained and public relationship with the singer, culminating in lawsuits, tell-all books, and ongoing personal turmoil. This article delves into their complicated history and the recent tragedies that have reshaped their family.
A Childhood Divided: The Root of the Issues
Mariah Carey is the youngest of three children born to Patricia and Alfred Carey. Her parents divorced when she was three years old, a separation that divided the family. While Mariah lived with her mother, her older sister, Alison, moved in with their father. Mariah’s 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, revealed the depths of her complicated family life. She described a childhood filled with emotional and physical turmoil, much of which involved her older siblings.
The Strained Relationship with Her Brother, Morgan
Mariah’s relationship with her older brother, Morgan Carey, has been particularly difficult. In her memoir, she detailed a tumultuous dynamic, describing a violent incident between her brother and their parents. Morgan has since refuted these claims, saying his sister’s book caused significant damage to his reputation.
Morgan filed a lawsuit against Mariah in 2021, a legal battle that is still ongoing. The lawsuit alleges that her claims in the memoir were false and defamatory. In a recent development, Morgan reportedly filed an amended lawsuit in March 2025, claiming his sister conspired with a fan to create a YouTube video to further damage his reputation.
The Tragic Life of Her Sister, Alison
Mariah’s relationship with her sister, Alison Carey, was even more fraught with tension. Alison, who struggled with drug addiction and health issues, also sued Mariah for claims made in the memoir. The singer wrote in her book that her sister drugged her, tried to sell her out, and inflicted third-degree burns on her as a child. Alison’s lawsuit, filed in 2021, accused Mariah of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Tragically, Alison passed away in August 2024 at the age of 63. Her death, along with the death of her mother, Patricia Carey, on the same day, was confirmed by Mariah in an exclusive statement to People magazine. Mariah’s representative said her heart was “broken” by the dual loss. The singer was able to spend her mother’s final week with her, but sources say she and Alison had not seen each other in years.
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CONCLUSION
The story of the Mariah Carey siblings is a heartbreaking narrative of a family torn apart by fame and unresolved issues. Mariah has often spoken about feeling like an outsider in her family due to her biracial identity. While the family’s public feuds are well-documented, Mariah has persevered, channeling her pain into her music. Her story is a testament to resilience, but it also serves as a reminder that even for a global icon, family can be a source of profound, lasting pain.
