Rosie O’Donnell is sharing the details of her latest visit with her incarcerated daughter, Chelsea O’Donnell, by turning to poetry.
“I arrive early. It’s very hot. I’m wearing shorts. Waiting for her,” O’Donnell, 64, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, June 13, sharing what appears to be a recent photo of the former TV host visiting her daughter in jail.
“In what looks like a children’s nursery room, Disney murals on cement walls. Vending machines. Table 8 — I’m told to sit,” she continued in the caption. “In one of the red chairs. Beige is for the inmate. The guard explained the rules.”
Rosie added, “A hug hello and goodbye only. No money exchanged. Hands above the table. No loud voices. The visit is 4 hours long There r worn out games to play. Scrabble — cards — chutes & ladders. Other families walk in.”
In October 2025, Chelsea was sentenced to serve prison time after allegedly violating the terms of her six-year probation stemming from three back-to-back drug-related arrests. She was first arrested in September 025, on charges of drug possession and child neglect. She was arrested again on October 11, for drugs, and a third time on November 18, also for drugs.
“I have compassion for those struggling with addiction,” Rosie exclusively told Us Weekly at the time, reacting to her daughter’s incarceration. “Chelsea was born into addiction and it has been a painful journey for her and her children. We continue to love and support her through these horrible times. Prayers welcomed.”
As part of her plea deal, Chelsea pleaded guilty to some charges while others were dropped. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but the sentence was “stayed,” meaning she would only have to serve probation as long as she did not get into any legal trouble for six years. Her probation was revoked after she allegedly failed to adequately attend and complete a drug rehab program and was accused of sexual assault.
She is currently serving her time at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution, a women’s maximum-security prison located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
On Saturday, Rosie told her many fans and followers that her daughter was “the first thru the door” when she visited her.
“My heart skips a beat. She looks good,” she continued in her poem. “Healthy calm. Rested blue eyes. Clear skin. In her green uniform. We embrace. She smells familiar. Holds on tight. I stare into his eyes. Shy smiles all around. We have been thru so much. We sit — other young women enter. A 4 yr old yells ‘mama.’”
She added, “Running into the open arms of a woman in green who she looks exactly like. This tiny child has been here before. I watch the toddler navigate the candy machine. Reaching into her bag of quarters, grabbing her goodies.”
According to Rosie, all four of Chelsea’s children — three girls and a boy — “have not visited,” which the grandmother says she knows “pains” her daughter.
“I try to stay present as the sky outside blackens, looking ominous,” her poem continued. “I realize I’m sweating. I go splash gold water on my face as tears drop from my eyes. I try to shake the sadness. It’s hard enough for her. She turns 29 this summer, and all I see when I look at her is a blonde baby in diapers.”
In her poem, Rosie said that the mother-daughter’s visit was “cut short” due to weather — a tornado that “touched down nearby.”
“Chelsea slumps in her chair crestfallen — we r rushed out,” she wrote. “A quick hug and I’m back in the car. It storms all the way to the hotel as I try to process all that’s happened. It was a big day for both of us. I conk right out. I sleep for hours. Proud of us both.”
She concluded, “Unconditional love, simply the only way thru motherhood. Love and forgiveness a must. Even when it seems impossible, especially then, we live, we learn, we grow. Even at 64.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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