Drake Bell jokes after being reported missing; underwent mental health eval, police say
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On the same day Daytona Beach Police reported actor Jared Drake Bell “missing and endangered,” Bell himself took to Twitter to hint at what happened.
“You leave your phone in the car and don’t answer for the night and this?” Bell wrote yesterday afternoon after he was confirmed “safe” by Daytona Beach Police around 1:30 p.m.
You leave your phone in the car and don’t answer for the night and this? 😂
— DrakeBell.ethᵍᵐ (@DrakeBell) April 13, 2023
In an email to The News-Journal, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said that "Orange County deputies made contact with Mr. Bell" on Thursday at around 11:30 a.m. "in our jurisdiction unharmed."
The sheriff's office added that "deputies took action under F.S.S. 394.463 (Baker Act) to ensure Mr. Bell receives a mental health evaluation."
The reason for the alert is still unknown.
According to Daytona Beach Police, Bell had been potentially last seen in the area of Mainland High School (1255 W. International Speedway Blvd.) the previous day, April 12, just before 9 p.m.
More coverage: 'Drake & Josh' star Jared Drake Bell found, safe, according to Daytona Beach police
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Drake Bell fans take to Twitter
Most of the comments on Bell’s tweet are from people thankful to learn he is OK, with some taking the opportunity to humorously poke some fun at the actor.
“Oh and here I thought it was just my calls you were ignoring,” one user wrote.
Daytona Beach locals also chimed in on the surprise of hearing the news.
“... imagine living in Daytona Beach (Me) and hearing that drake bell is missing in your town. I felt like it was a simulation,” @EmilysGotIssues wrote.
Bell began acting as a child and was catapulted to fame as a teen with Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and later “Drake & Josh,” which ran from 2004 to 2007. He also launched a music career.
The former child star was accused of sexual contact and grooming an underage fan. He pled guilty to child endangerment charges and a Cleveland court sentenced him to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in 2021.
The News-Journal reached out to Daytona Beach Police for comment but has not heard back.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Drake Bell brought in for mental health evaluation, deputies say
