Jess Hardiman
Drake & Josh star Drake Bell is missing and considered 'endangered', police have said, calling on anyone with any information to come forward as soon as possible.
Bell, whose full name is Jared Drake Bell, is best known for starring in Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh alongside Josh Peck.
The 36-year-old was last seen in a 2022 grey BMW yesterday (12 April), just before 9pm.
In a statement, Daytona Beach Police Department said: "Officers are looking for Jared Bell, DOB 06/27/1986.
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"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 9pm.
"He is considered missing and endangered. If you know where he is or have any information, please contact Detective Jayson Wallace at 386-671-5207 or [email protected]."
The force also added a comment on Facebook to stress that the missing person notice was legitimate, after some believed they had mistakenly used a photo of a celebrity, not recognising his non-stage name.
"For those asking, this is a legitimate post from the Daytona Beach Police Department," it said.
"If you have any information, please contact Detective Jayson Wallace."
Bell - who has one son with wife Janet Von Schmeling - started out as a child actor in the early 1990s, when he featured on Home Improvement and a number of commercials.
However, he is most well-known for his roles on Nickelodeon series The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh.
Bell previously revealed that his relationship with former co-star Peck has been rocky in recent years, saying their ties were 'officially cut' when he wasn't invited to Peck's wedding in 2018.
Peck also spoke out about Bell's 'upsetting' and 'disappointing' child endangerment charges, which related to a 2017 incident in which Bell was said to have ‘violated his duty of care and, in doing so, created a risk of harm’ for a girl who attended one of the actor’s concerts in Cleveland when she was 15.
The incident was reported the following year, when the teen contacted Toronto police. An investigation was launched after Toronto authorities contacted Cleveland police, with investigators alleging that Bell had sent inappropriate messages to the teen via social media prior to the concert.
Bell had initially pleaded not guilty to attempted child endangerment, a felony in the fourth degree, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a misdemeanour the first degree, though changed his plea after agreeing to a plea deal.
Bell was eventually handed a two-year suspended sentence and 200 hours of community service.