Before Drake Bell was reported missing by the Daytona Beach Police Department, the Drake & Josh alum had his loved ones worried.
“There was some communication with family members that caused concern so they are worried about him and looking for him,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly shortly before Bell, 36, was found safe and alive in the Florida city. The source noted that some members of his family didn’t even know when he arrived in Florida — the state where his estranged wife, Janet Von Schemling, moved with their baby boy.
The insider added that the former child star’s family and friends do not have further updates and are “all just listening and waiting and hoping” to hear from Bell.
The DBPD initially revealed in a Thursday, April 13, statement shared via Facebook that the Amanda Show alum had been reported missing. The social media note indicated that officers were searching for Bell, who was traveling through Florida in a gray BMW sedan and was last spotted nearby Mainland High School. “He is considered missing and endangered,” the statement concluded.
Detectives, who were asking locals to report any sightings of Bell, revealed several hours later that the “Found a Way” crooner is “safe” and has been in touch with law enforcement officials.
While the source did not know why the California native is in Florida, they told Us that Bell “does visit” the Southern state frequently.
Bell initially rose to fame as a child star on Nickelodeon, landing comedic roles on the network’s The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, iCarly and the Fairly Odd Parents movie trilogy. Following a string of popular TV, movie and music gigs, Bell’s personal life later made headlines in recent years.
In June 2021, the Yours, Mine & Ours star was accused of attempted child endangerment and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. Despite initially pleading not guilty, Bell later changed his plea after a 2017 incident.
“I just want to say today that I accept this claim because my conduct was wrong,” Bell said during his sentencing the following July, when he was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service and remain on probation for two years. “I’m sorry that the victim was harmed in any way, but that was obviously not my intention. I take this matter very seriously, and again I just want to apologize to her and anyone else who may have been affected by my actions.”
Amid the legal battle, Bell married Schemling in 2018 following five years of dating. The pair, who quietly welcomed a son three years later, ultimately split in late 2022.
With reporting by Andrea Simpson
