Tatum O'Neal, Oscar-winning child star, busted on drug charges

Life just doesn't seem to get any easier for some of Hollywood's troubled former child stars.

Tatum O'Neal, the Oscar-winning child actress and daughter of Ryan O'Neal, was arrested on charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

According to the New York Post, the 44-year-old actress, who has long battled addiction, was arrested at 7:30 pm Sunday night just blocks form her Lower East Side luxury apartment and charged with buying cocaine and crack.

When the detectives approached her, she reportedly asked them, "You know who I am, right?"

Then she told the detectives that she was just researching a part. "I'm doing this for a part as a junkie," she insisted, later begging the police, "Can't we just forget this?"

A clean pipe and screen were found on her person. Both O'Neal and her alleged source were arrested and taken to the NYPD's 7th Precinct.

O'Neal has three grown children with tennis star John McEnroe. According to the Post, she went to rehab in 1996, but her career has not been in recovery until recently. Her most acclaimed recent role is that of the alcoholic sister of Denis Leary's firefighter, Tommy Gavin, in "Rescue Me."

She still holds the record for being the youngest actor to win an Academy Award, for starring with her father in "Paper Moon." She was 10.

In her autobiography, "A Paper Life," Tatum O'Neal alleged that she was molested by a male friend of her father. She also discusses her heroin addiction and its effects on her relationship with her kids as well as the effect of her mother Joanna Moore's addictions to speed and alcohol, on her.

Photos: Tatum O'Neal, right, with her daughter Emily McEnroe at a March 26 screening of "21" in New York at the IFC Center.

WireImage

Comments

[T. S. Elliot]

LA morons continue to support terrorism by stuffing their heads full of cocaine. Too bad its not lethal.

[Terry Nelson]

Ms. O'neal is not a criminal and should not be locked up. We have 2.3 million people in jail in this country and 1.7 million of them are in jail for non-violent drug offenses. Treatment not incarceration is the answer. The "War on Drugs" is a total public policy failure and must be stopped before it does even more harm. And, no I am not a left winger. I am a retired federal officer and a spokesperson for LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) www.leap.cc You can beat an addiction but you will never beat a conviction. Let put the estimated 79 Billion dollars spent on this wasted effort into education and treatment. TIA

[Terry Nelson]

Ms. O'neal is not a criminal and should not be locked up. We have 2.3 million people in jail in this country and 1.7 million of them are in jail for non-violent drug offenses. Treatment not incarceration is the answer. The "War on Drugs" is a total public policy failure and must be stopped before it does even more harm. And, no I am not a left winger. I am a retired federal officer and a spokesperson for LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) www.leap.cc You can beat an addiction but you will never beat a conviction. Let put the estimated 79 Billion dollars spent on this wasted effort into education and treatment. TIA

[Old Warrior]

LEGALIZE DRUGS! Dealers won't make any MONEY selling it. Drug kingpins won't make lots of MONEY transporting it. Farmers won’t make any MONEY growing it. Farmers will make more MONEY growing food to help fight the world food shortage. We'll have less need for police, courts, judges, jails, etc. which all cost lots of MONEY. Little old ladies won't get hit over the head by some crack head looking for any MONEY she has. Yes, a few non-productive members of society will OD but they probably would any. With drug pushers out of business because they can’t make any MONEY, our kids will be safer, our streets will be safer. I’m old enough to remember a time before widespread use of drugs. All and all, it was a pretty nice time.

[Melissa]

My thoughts and prayers are with Tatum O'Neal and her family. My wish is that she will find true peace and serenity on her way to recovery.

[CatGirl]

Addiction is an insidious disease. I hope that she gets the help that she needs. All best wishes to her and her children.

[kath]

Tatum has a disease that she inherited from her parents. She needs to go back to rehab and then join the fellowship of A.A. The only way she will recover long term is to attend A.A. meetings regularly for the rest of her life. First, she has to admit that she is powerless over the substance and her life has become unmanageable. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. I'll pray for her.

[me]

You guys are jackasses, she is a crackhead any you all feel sorry for her hahahahahahaha dumbasses.

[Omar]

Poor Tatum. I hope she gets herself back in Rehab and puts herself back to work. Just a setback. don't give up.

[Robert]

Tatam is an addict and old behaviors don't go away. Until she is ready to directly address the root problem she will continue to run back to drugs and alcohol when the situation arises. Without a daily treatment of the 3 parts of her disease she will continue this ugly battle for the rest of her life.

[live]

Its amazing how drug addiction can affect anyone, I remember Tatum being one of those TV stars that was so amazing! I admired her and her peers, I hate to see that she spent so much of her life struggling with drug addiction.

[Cocaine Rehabilitation]

Well, if we talk about effects and symptoms of cocaine then the use of cocaine causes long term damage and in some cases it is case of death of the addicts. Mainly, it has two types of effects those are short term effects and long term effects. Anyhow, Cocaine Addiction Treatments is available but the main thing is that addicts should be mentally prepared to give up this addiction.

http://www.addiction-treatments.com/

[samadams]

People who are abuse to drugs are not able to leave it immediately. But they can try to leave it slowly. The best way is to do exercise daily as it keeps the body fit. They can also visit to drugs treatment centres and take guidance from doctors.
========================================================================
samadams
Drug Rehab