Struggling singing star MARIAH CAREY is still haunted by her tumultuous childhood - and especially her HIV positive sister. Honey star Mariah, who suffered mental problems and a reported suicide attempt last summer (2001), was brought up mainly by her partying brother, as her single mother worked to make ends meet.

And while Carey went on from her difficult upbringing to find worldwide fame, her sister Alison became a drug-using prostitute and contracted HIV - something which still causes Carey a great deal of angst. Lloyd Smith, a backing singer who often works with Mariah, reveals,

"Her childhood is something she thinks about all the time. She feels guilty about being so successful when her siblings have had such a tough time. Alison became a drug addict and is now HIV positive. That still causes Mariah a lot of pain. "

Source: Cinema.com