Skip to main content

No Charges for Bon Jovi's Daughter After Heroin Overdose

By Andrew Lu on November 16, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, the 19-year-old daughter of rocker Jon Bon Jovi, was arrested this week after she allegedly overdosed on heroin.

Bongiovi is a student at Hamilton College in upstate New York, where medics were called to her dorm room after reports of someone who'd overdosed on heroin, reports the Associated Press.

Medics found Bongiovi unresponsive, but she has since recovered. While police initially arrested Bongiovi and another student on suspicion of drug possession, those charges have now been dropped.

After the emergency call to police, a drug task force was also called to the scene. In Bongiovi's dorm room, they reportedly found small amounts of heroin and marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia.

Bongiovi could have faced misdemeanor charges for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. But a prosecutor on Thursday dismissed all charges.

The reason: New York's new "Good Samaritan 911" law.

The law, signed just last year, encourages people to call 911 for help without having to fear criminal prosecution for drug possession.

Under this law, someone who's overdosing on drugs or seeking help for an overdose victim can't be prosecuted for having a small amount of heroin or any amount of marijuana, reports the AP.

As a result, prosecutors announced that they are dropping the charges against Jon Bon Jovi's daughter and her male companion.

New York's Good Samaritan 911 law is in place to ensure that those facing life-threatening drug overdoses call for help, instead of risking death over fear of being charged with a crime. That's exactly what happened in Stephanie Rose Bongiovi's case. Several other states also have similar Good Samaritan laws on the books.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard