Update April 13 17:33 am CT: TMZ has additionally reported that law enforcement officials have informed them that Bell has since been found and is no longer missing. However, specific details on his whereabouts during his disappearance or why the police were concerned for his safety have yet to emerge.
Original story is as follows.
Drake Bell, the former teen TV favorite of the 2000s, has been reported as “missing and endangered.” Most remembered for his role in popular Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh, Bell was last seen on April 12, as revealed today in a Facebook post shared by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Bell — legal name Jared Bell — had previously pleaded guilty to a child endangerment felony involving a 15-year-old girl in 2021.
As per the report from Daytona P.D., “Officers are looking for Jared Bell, DOB 06/27/1986. He should be traveling in a 2022 grey BMW, and his last known location is potentially the area of Mainland High School on 4/12/2023 just before 9 p.m. He is considered missing and endangered.”
Missing and endangered is typically classified as someone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances or when a person is believed to be in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability, or relating to environmental factors.
In July 2021, the 36-year-old was sentenced to a two-year probationary sentence and community service after pleading guilty to a felony charge for attempting to endanger children and a misdemeanor charge for disseminating material harmful to juveniles.
This sentencing stemmed from text messages believed to be sexually explicit that were sent to an underaged fan in Ohio in 2017. In an Instagram post explaining the verdict, Bell stressed “most of the news that you’ve heard recently is entirely false and wrong,” but admitted “I’m not perfect and I make mistakes.”
Bell starred opposite Josh Peck — who has publicly cut all ties with Bell — and Miranda Cosgrove in all four seasons of Drake & Josh from 2002 to 2007. The show was created and executive produced by Dan Schneider, who has been hit by several on-set misconduct allegations himself in recent years. Bell also voiced Peter Parker in Disney’s Ultimate Spider-Man from 2012 to 2017.
