Newly surfaced video appears to show former “Drake & Josh” child star Drake Bell sitting in his car and inhaling from a balloon filled with nitrous oxide, with the clip reportedly raising concern among the public for his well-being.
The former child star was sitting in his car outside of his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday, TMZ reported. The video appears to show Bell sucking on an inflated balloon, and a paparazzi photo seemingly shows Bell holding a cannister that resembles a nitrous oxide container. Huffing nitrous oxide provides an instant, dangerous high that causes a head rush, according to TMZ.
There has been increased concern for the former child actor’s mental health and physical well-being as a result of recent reported events. His family previously called 911 suggesting Bell was a danger to himself, TMZ reported, and he also allegedly threatened to commit suicide after being trolled online. Bell suggested on Twitter he was contemplating suicide after a charge for attempted child endangerment dating back to 2021 was allegedly misconstrued, causing the public to call him a “pedophile,” according to TMZ.
The Daytona Beach Police Department issued a missing persons report and requested the assistance of the pubic to locate Bell after he was reported missing April 13. He was found safe a short time later.
The actor took to social media to declare he had simply left his phone in the car, but 911 audio was later released, indicating the star may have been suicidal. (RELATED: Drake Bell Speaks Out About Concern Over His Disappearance)
Bell’s estranged wife, Janet Von Schmeling, filed for divorce roughly a week after he went missing and is seeking full custody of their one-year-old child, Wyatt, according to TMZ.
Drake was also photographed allegedly huffing a nitrous-filled balloon in his car in December 2022, with his young son in the back of the vehicle, TMZ reported.