Chelsea O’Donnell was reported missing from mom Rosie O’Donnell’s summer home in New York less than a week ago, but was found shortly thereafter at the home of a man she reportedly met on Tinder.
Steven M. Shearer has now been charged with two third degree charges related to the disappearance of Chelsea O’Donnell. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office in New Jersey has charged Shearer with endangering the welfare of a child and the distribution of obscenity. If convicted of both charges, he faces over five years in jail. Shearer already has a prior conviction for possession of heroin.
Chelsea O’Donnell was reportedly discovered at Steven Shearer’s Barnegat, New Jersey home–in the attic with her therapy dog, Bear, after her cell phone was traced to his residence.
Steven Sheerer, man found with Rosie O'Donnell's daughter Chelsea, arrested in New Jersey: http://t.co/yC8AnAuaVb pic.twitter.com/ohLXgnrufG
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) August 22, 2015
Steven Shearer is presently incarcerated at the Ocean County Jail–held there on $40,000 cash bail. He is prohibited from having any contact with Chelsea O’Donnell or her family.
It sounds like authorities found Rosie O’Donnell’s daughter with a predator. Chelsea O’Donnell suffers from an undisclosed mental illness, which may have made her more vulnerable to some of the lures used by predators.
Alleged heroin addict charged after being found with Rosie O'Donnell's missing daughter http://t.co/NLJiuDqaEz pic.twitter.com/EzrBS0O1Ag
— People magazine (@people) August 22, 2015
It will be interesting to learn what becomes of Steven Shearer regarding this case. Most important of all is that Chelsea O’Donnell was found–seemingly unharmed–and returned to her family.
Rosie O’Donnell is no doubt eternally grateful to the investigators in Ocean County, New Jersey.