Jeb Bush's Daughter Jailed

ByABC News
July 17, 2002, 4:02 PM

July 17 -- Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's troubled daughter Noelle was jailed today for allegedly violating the conditions of a court-ordered drug treatment plan.

According to jailhouse records, Noelle Bush was sentenced to three days behind bars in Orlando for contempt of court.

The 24-year-old niece of President Bush was arrested in January at a pharmacy drive-through window for allegedly trying to buy the anti-anxiety drug Xanax with a fraudulent prescription. She was admitted to a drug treatment center in February, with the possibility of the charges being dropped if she completed the program.

Lisa Roberson, a spokeswoman for Orange County prosecutor's office, told ABCNEWS that Noelle Bush was staying at the Orlando-area treatment center, where residents typically stay for three to six months, until she walked out of the facility on June 19 without permission.

Officials at the center handled that incident internally, Roberson said. However, the governor's daughter was then found with prescription drugs at the facility on July 11, and officials decided to turn her case over to court officials, she said.

She Is an Adult

Gov. Bush sent an e-mail to reporters notifying them of his daughter's lapse.

"My family is saddened to share that our daughter Noelle has not abided by the conditions of her drug court treatment plan," Bush said. "Unfortunately, this happens to many individuals even as they continue their journey to full recovery.

"There are consequences for every action we take in our lives, and as her parents, Columba and I wish we could have prevented our daughter from making the wrong choices."

The governor added: "We love Noelle, but she is an adult, and I respect the role of the courts in carrying out our state's drug treatment policies."

ABCNEWS Radio's Andrew Colton contributed to this report.