Police: Rosie O'Donnell's Daughter Was Staying With Man Convicted on Drug Offenses

The New Jersey man who Rosie O'Donnell's missing daughter was staying with was convicted on drug offenses, according to police. 

Steven Sheerer, 25, of Barnegat Township was arrested in 2012. Sheerer was in a car with another woman when they were stopped by police following a two-month narcotics investigation. The woman had heroin and drug paraphernalia on her while her 1-year-old and 3-year-old children were in the back seat of the car, police told NBC Philadelphia.

Police also searched Sheerer's home on Village Drive where they found heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. 

Sheerer was arrested and charged with third-degree possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, third-degree possession of heroin, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later convicted on those charges. 

Police confirmed Rosie O'Donnell's daughter Chelsea was staying with Sheerer when she was found Tuesday, a week after she had last been seen by family.

Barnegat Township Police say they received a call from the Rockland County Sheriff's Department earlier Tuesday evening asking them to check a few homes on Village Drive for a missing juvenile.

An officer went to Sheerer's home and found O'Donnell. She was then taken to the Barnegat Township Police headquarters.

Police have not yet revealed the connection O'Donnell had with Sheerer but don't believe anything criminal occurred while she was with him. Authorities said she suffers from mental illness and hadn't been taking her medication.

Video from the Asbury Park Press shows Chelsea O'Donnell being picked up by an SUV at the Barnegat Township Police Department Tuesday night.

Rosie O'Donnell also announced on Twitter Tuesday night that her daughter was found safe. O'Donnell tweeted shortly before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday that "chelsea has been found safe and is safe in police custody - thank u all for the help and light #missingchildren." 

Chelsea O’Donnell had been last seen at her Rockland County home on Aug. 11, Rosie O'Donnell said on her website earlier in the day. South Nyack police were alerted that she was missing on Sunday, and they had been searching for her since. She apparently left the home with her 6-month-old therapy puppy, a 9-pound black terrier named Bear.

"Rosie wants to thank everyone for their help, especially the South Nyack, NY and Barneget Light, NJ police departments," Cindi Berger, a representative for Rosie O'Donnell, said in a statement to NBC 4 New York. "Her daughter Chelsea O’Donnell has been located by the police and is safe in their custody."

Rosie O'Donnell tweeted photos of her missing daughter Tuesday afternoon. One tweet early Tuesday featured the caption "dude was asking for u today .... dude #urFAMILY #call."

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