Kristin Cavallari is paying tribute to her late brother, Michael Cavallari. The former "Laguna Beach" star turned fashion designer mourned the death of her brother in an Instagram post with an adorable throwback photo of her as a toddler spending time with Michael, along with an emotional message.

"My heart is in a million pieces," the 28-year-old mother-of-three captioned the photo. "Mikey, I could always count on you to make me laugh. You had such a good heart and will be forever missed. I'm at a loss for words, but I know u are in a better place and finally at peace. I love u so much RIP."

Prior to her touching tribute, Cavallari - who recently welcomed her third child, a daughter named Saylor James, with husband Chicago Bear's quarterback Jay Cutler - confirmed the devastating news about her brother's death in a personal statement.

"We want to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers during this very difficult time. We have just been informed by the authorities my brother's body has been found," she said in a statement to People. "This is a very painful time and we are still processing it all. We kindly ask everyone please respect our privacy during our time of grieving."

Search crews reportedly found Michael's remains at 10:30 a.m. Thursday after searching "Utah's steep, rocky Salt Wash terrain," the Grand County Sheriff's department told Us Weekly. Michael, who was only 30 years old, was taken to the Utah Medical Examiner's office to determine a cause of death.

His 2014 Honda Civic was found abandoned on Nov. 27 on I-70 in Utah with the airbag fully deployed and his cellphone inside, as HNGN previously reported. Michael was reported missing on Dec. 5.

Media reports revealed that he was arrested four days before the discovery of his car for making criminal threats with a shotgun. That wasn't his first brush with the law; Michael was arrested in 2014 with a DUI and was given three years probation.

"Sadly, Kristin [Cavallari's] brother has been getting into trouble for a long time," a source close to the family told E! News. "There's always been a lot of drama around him."

No additional information about his death is immediately available.

 I appreciate all the concern, thoughts, and prayers that have been extended to me and my family. We remain hopeful and I will share any news that we receive. I have such gratitude for all those that have shared their support.

A photo posted by Kristin Cavallari (@kristincavallari) on Dec 7, 2015 at 7:33am PST