Rosie O’Donnell on daughter’s arrest for alleged drugs, child neglect

Rosie O’Donnell has spoken out about oldest daughter Chelsea O’Donnell’s arrests in Wisconsin over the past month.
In a TikTok posted Monday night, the former “Rosie O’Donnell Show” host expressed gratitude for the support she received from people who have also been impacted by addiction.
“I just wanted to thank everybody for their kind words and wishes about Chelsea,” O’Donnell said. “And for all the people who told me they were going through something similar with a child or spouse or a brother or a lover, thank you for making me feel less alone. I think it’s hard to be a public person sometimes, and it’s hard for the children of those public people.
“But, you know, it is what it is in the culture today. And here we are.”
O’Donnell has five children and shares 27-year-old Chelsea with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter.
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Chelsea O’Donnell was booked into Marinette County jail Sept. 10, according to inmate records reviewed by USA TODAY. Court records show she posted $2,000 bond Sept. 24 and faces charges of allegedly maintaining a “drug trafficking place,” neglecting a child, domestic abuse and possessing methamphetamine, THC, drug paraphernalia and an illegally obtained prescription.
Chelsea O’Donnell was then booked into Oconto County Jail Oct. 11 and remains incarcerated. In this neighboring Wisconsin county, she faces charges of bail jumping and resisting or obstructing an officer as well as possession of methamphetamine, narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia, according to court records.
She has not entered a plea in either case and is due to appear in court in Marinette County Nov. 4 and in Oconto County Nov. 7. A lawyer for Chelsea O’Donnell could not be reached for comment.
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Rosie O’Donnell also addressed her adopted daughter’s struggles in a social media post over the weekend.
“Sadly this is not new for our family – Chelsea has struggled with drug addiction for a decade,” her statement read. “We (are) all hopeful she will find her way out of this deadly disease.”
Chelsea O’Donnell made headlines as a teen in 2015 when she ran away from her New York home and was found a week later in New Jersey. As an 18 year old, she moved in with her biological mother in Wisconsin. Now, she is a mother to four children, with her youngest being born last fall, per Rosie O’Donnell’s Oct. 30, 2023, Instagram post.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).