Rosie O’Donnell breaks silence after daughter’s arrest

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Rosie O’Donnell has spoken out after the arrest of her daughter Chelsea Belle, who has been hit with a myriad of charges, including child neglect, possession of methamphetamine, and maintaining a place for drug trafficking.

“Chelsea is in the news today,” O’Donnell, 62, wrote in an Instagram post, sharing an old photo of Belle holding a newborn baby. “This is a photo from a better time,” she added.

“Sadly this is not new for our family,” the former co-host of The View continued. “Chelsea has struggled with drug addiction for a decade. We (are) all hopeful she will find her way out of this deadly disease.”

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According to court records viewed by PEOPLE, Belle, who was adopted by O’Donnell, was arrested in Wisconsin last month after police conducted a search warrant.

Belle was charged with multiple felony counts, including neglecting a child, possession of methamphetamine and maintaining a drug trafficking place. 

InTouch added that police documented the “horrible” state inside her home with drug paraphernalia found within reach of her children.

“The inside of the home was disgusting; throughout the house I saw rotten food, dirty moldy dishes, milk that stunk so bad it almost made me puke, dirty diapers, used female hygiene products, unclean underwear with feces and blood stains, and used razor blades on the floor,” one officer wrote.

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“Inside the bedroom belonging to Chelsea, where (the baby) was initially found, there was a meth pipe, a gem bag with methamphetamine inside, a marijuana grinder and another container with marijuana shake in it,” the report continued.

One of the arresting officers also found used used needles in a room belonging to one of Belle’s children. “Some of the needles were used and had dried blood in them. I know that drug users commonly use needles like this to shoot meth into their arms or ‘bang out,’” they added.

Last week, Belle found herself in trouble again and was further charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic drugs and bail jumping, plus misdemeanour counts of resisting or obstructing an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

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O’Donnell and her daughter, who has four children, had been estranged during parts of Belle’s teenage and early adulthood years.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2017, O’Donnell, who has three other children, described her daughter as “mentally ill.”

“(She) has been in and out of hospitals most of her life. Born addicted to heroin. She has had a tough road. She is very sick. She is not capable of truth or reason,” O’Donnell said at the time.

But the two reconnected in 2018 after Belle had her first child. O’Donnell said their relationship being tested made their bond stronger.

“We went through some really public troubled times,” O’Donnell said on The Talk in 2018 of Belle moving to Wisconsin to be closer to her birth mother (per PEOPLE). “She’s doing better now and we’re both communicating with each other. When somebody does something unforgivable to you and you can forgive them and they can forgive you, there’s a kind of grace that descends upon the both of you, within that.”

mdaniell@postmedia.com

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