How the migty fall!

britexpat
By britexpat

Tatum O’Neal, the former child star who became the youngest actor ever to win an Academy Award, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine.

O’Neal, 44, was allegedly caught buying the drug from a homeless man close to her New York apartment, police said.

She was arrested moments after handing over money at 7.30pm on Sunday evening and was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

When approached by officers who had witnessed the alleged transaction outside a Chinese restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, she reportedly told them: “Do you know who I am?” before claiming to be researching a movie role.

The actress, who has battled cocaine and heroin addiction in the past, is said to have told police: “I’ve been clean for a long time. Can you let me go?”

Officers who searched her allegedly found a bag of crack cocaine, a bag of regular cocaine and a crack pipe in her possession.

In her 2004 memoirs, A Paper Life, O’Neal claimed the seeds of her downfall were sown during her early years, and that she was exposed to drink and drugs as a pre-teen when her father dragged her around the Hollywood party circuit.

In 1986, she married tennis star John McEnroe and the couple had three children, but their relationship was notoriously volatile and they divorced in 1992.

After the marriage fell apart, O’Neal progressed from cocaine abuse to heroin addiction, and she had several spells in rehab. She has admitted that her lowest moment came when her seven-year-old daughter walked into her bedroom and found a syringe. “It was the most horrendous thing. It’s tragic and awful, and I’ll regret it ‘til the day I die,” she said. As a result, McEnroe was awarded full custody of the children and she was allowed only supervised visits.

In 2001, she “hit rock bottom and started doing drugs 24/7” but kicked the habit two years later and claims to have been clean ever since.

By Gypsy• 3 Jun 2008 09:53
Gypsy

Well I think for her the root would be pretty obvious, given how many child stars end up drug addicts.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

By brandylady• 3 Jun 2008 09:44
brandylady

yes it is a shame, there are all sorts of reasons why people become addicts, getting to the root of the problem is a must, its not enough just to deal with the addiction itself

By Gypsy• 3 Jun 2008 09:00
Gypsy

What a shame. I can't imagine the difficulty in struggling with addiction.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

By irrysa• 3 Jun 2008 08:34
irrysa

as if he was the first one ;o)

If you're looking for a problem, you're probably gonna find one.

By brandylady• 3 Jun 2008 08:24
brandylady

at least you had taste back then,,,,,,,,,,,,, waaaaay back then :)

she will be just another used up haggard old junkie now

By britexpat• 3 Jun 2008 08:22
britexpat

I used to fancy her when i was younger.. How can she do this to me?

Should I call her up and talk to her or just wallow in my pride? Please advise me!

By brandylady• 3 Jun 2008 08:20
brandylady

this happens to a lot of child stars, they get everything they can dream of when they are still young then there are no thrills left so they look for the ultimate high and this snowballs to the all too often addictions that will eventually kill them

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