Actress Tara Reid has revealed she has been subjected to vicious online bullying in the wake of a traumatic incident last month where she believes her drink was spiked at a Chicago hotel.
A Traumatic Hospital Dash
The 50-year-old star, best known for playing Vicky Lathum in the American Pie film series, was rushed to hospital after falling ill at the establishment in Chicago, Illinois. Paramedics were called and she was taken from the hotel lobby on a stretcher and transported by ambulance.
Reid has stated she believes her wine was tampered with, leading to the medical emergency. She recounted waking up in hospital 12 hours later, wearing a gown and with no memory of the events. "To imagine how terrifying it would be as a woman having some wine and then waking up in the hospital with no clothes on in a gown after 12 hours not having any idea of what happened to me," she said.
Police Investigation Concludes Without Charges
However, the Rosemont police department has now closed its investigation into the alleged drink spiking. An officer informed Reid that, after reviewing all available evidence including hotel video footage and speaking to relevant individuals, there was insufficient evidence to support charging anyone at this time.
The officer was quoted as telling the actress: "I don't want to make it sound like we don't think anything happened... From everything that we've seen and everybody that we spoke to and all the video, there's no evidence to support anything for us to charge somebody at this time." Police have told Reid they will follow up on any new information she can provide.
Online Trolls Compound Mental Health Strain
In the weeks since the incident, Tara Reid says the experience has been compounded by cruel online commentary and bullying from trolls questioning her account. She released a statement describing the profound impact on her mental health.
"It was a truly heartbreaking experience," Reid stated. "All of the bullying I have been subjected to since and everyone twisting reality without the facts they weren't even there to witness is truly affecting my mental health and I need it to stop."
She expressed gratitude to supporters who have reached out, saying their concern "has saved me during this terrible time." The Scrubs actress hopes that by speaking out she can raise awareness about the very real dangers of drink spiking.
