Cops: Rosie O'Donnell's Daughter Was 'Of Sound Mind' When Found In NJ
SOUTH NYACK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- South Nyack police say Rosie O'Donnell's teenage daughter was "of sound mind" when she was found in New Jersey after a week of being incommunicado.
Sgt. Daniel Wilson said Wednesday that Chelsea O'Donnell left her home Aug. 11 and was reported missing to police Aug. 16. O'Donnell lives in the Rockland County village of South Nyack, about 25 miles north of New York City.
Law enforcement found Chelsea on Tuesday in Barnegat, New Jersey, at the house of a male she was "recently acquainted with" and say she willingly left with authorities.
Cops: Rosie O'Donnell's Missing Daughter Was 'Of Sound Mind'
O'Donnell said her daughter had not been taking needed medication. Her mother's spokeswoman said Chelsea suffers from mental illness.
Chelsea declined medical attention, police said.
Once the word went out on social media that Chelsea was missing, it became clear the 17-year-old was not in danger because several people called police to say they had been in touch with her, Wilson said.
"Some of those people were good enough to contact the police to assist us to say that they've been hearing from Chelsea," Wilson told reporters, including WCBS 880's Alex Silverman.
Wilson would not elaborate on who those people are or how police tracked to Chelsea to the home on the Jersey shore.
Chelsea was reunited with O'Donnell around midnight Tuesday. The teen did not give a reason for why she left home.
Wilson said police will do some follow-up interviews but that it does not look like a crime was committed.
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