ET Canada

UPDATE: Tinder Reps Respond To Chelsea O’Donnell, 17, Reportedly Meeting 25-Year-Old Via Their Dating App

By Brent Furdyk.

UPDATE: Thursday, August 20 (9:40 a.m. ET) – Following reports that 17-year-old Chelsea O’Donnell met 25-year-old convicted criminal Steven Sheerer via the dating app Tinder, reps for Tinder have released the following statement to ABC News, which appeared on today’s Good Morning America:

“This is a very upsetting situation,”; says the statement.  “We have security measures in place to help verify each user’s authenticity…users age 13-17 can only connect with other users in that same age range on Tinder. If we learn that a user has lied about their age in order to interact with users outside of their appropriate age group, we delete their profile immediately.”

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UPDATE: Wednesday, August 19 (9:01 p.m. ET) – When Rosie O’Donnell’s daughter was found yesterday, she was with a convicted criminal by the name of Steven Sheerer, age 25.

Sources tell ET that Chelsea and Sheerer met online and he lives in New Jersey at home with his mother.

At the age of 22 Sheerer was 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.

It is confirmed that Sheerer was put on probation for possession of heroin and spent 53 days in jail in 2013 after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of two children, ages one and three.

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Rosie took no time to tweet an article highlighting the charges laid against Sheerer.

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Police also tell ET that Chelsea was located at Sheerer’s home with no signs of foul play, or signs that she was abducted.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, August 18 (8:14 p.m. ET) – Rosie O’Donnell’s 17-year-old daughter, Chelsea, has been found.

Rosie, 53, tweeted the good news thanking everyone for their help.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAccording to police, Chelsea was found in the Shore area of New Jersey and was coherent at the time of her location. The South Nyack officers took her to the station before returning her home.

A statement has been issued by Rosie’s rep that reads, “Rosie wants to thank everyone for their help, especially the South Nyack, NY and Barneget Light, NJ police departments.  Her daughter Chelsea O’Donnell has been located by the police and is safe in their custody.”;

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UPDATE: Tuesday, Aug. 18 (4:01 p.m. ET) – Police in South Nyack, New York, are now investigating the disappearance of Chelsea O’Donnell, with the daughter of Rosie O’Donnell now officially the subject of a missing persons investigation.

“The South Nyack-Grand View Police Department is currently investigating a reported missing person, Chelsea O’Donnell, age 17,”; reads a statement from police.

“She was reported missing by her family on Sunday, August 16th. She was last seen Tuesday, August 11th. She was wearing a black sweatshirt hoodie; dark ripped blue jeans, women’s grey converse sneakers and was carrying a black backpack. She left home with her 6 month old therapy dog named Bear. The dog is approximately 9 lbs. and is described as a brown and black terrier. Chelsea may have stopped taking her prescribed medication and may be in need of medical attention.  The Police Department is working with area law enforcement agencies to locate Chelsea and reunite her with her family.”;

Anyone with information about Chelsea asked to contact the department at 845-358-0206.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, Aug. 18 (3:30 p.m.ET ) – Chelsea O’Donnell’s brother, Parker, is hoping to use the power of social media to help find his missing sister, asking his Twitter followers to retweet her photo in hopes that somebody may have seen her and help lead to her safe return home:

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Rosie O’Donnell’s 17-year-old daughter has been missing for nearly a week, and the former View co-host and local police are seeking out any leads that may lead to her recovery.

“Nyack, New York police authorities have been looking for her in the Rockland County area since Sunday, August 16,”; reads a post on Rosie’s website. “She was last seen Tuesday, August 11. She was wearing a black sweatshirt hoodie, dark ripped blue jeans, women’s grey converse sneakers and a black backpack. Chelsea has a large tattoo on her right side of a dream catcher with the word ‘Breathe.’ She left home with her 6 month old therapy dog named Bear. The dog is a 9 lbs brown and black terrier.”; In the message, Rosie also points out that “Chelsea stopped taking her medicine and is in need of medical attention.”;

While the circumstances regarding the teen’s disappearance aren’t clear, anyone with information regarding Chelsea’s whereabouts is asked to contact authorities at 845-358-0206 or by calling 911.

TMZ is reporting that there’s no foul play involved, as Chelsea ran away from home. “Chelsea, like millions of people, lives with mental illness,”; a rep for Rosie tells TMZ. “It has been a difficult road for Chelsea and her family and they just want her back safe.”;

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Posted by Rosie O’Donnell on Tuesday, August 18, 2015

 

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