Robert Downey Jr.'s Son Charged with Felony

When Indio Downey, the son of Robert Downey Jr., was arrested in late June, the reason was both surprising and unsurprising. Downey was arrested for drug possession, a truly tragic twist considering his father's own past struggles with drug abuse and addiction. In a statement that Downey Jr. released to TMZ, he assured everyone that his entire family would be supporting his son through this difficult time and that he appreciated the police for intervening, which was a heartwarming message. Now the judgment has been made and Downey is being charged with felony cocaine possession as well as misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Downey ran into trouble with the Los Angeles County Police Department when a Sheriff's deputy spotted him using a cocaine pipe in the front seat of a car in broad daylight. He was released on bail that same day and, according to the NY Daily News, he is scheduled for an arraignment on August 29, exactly one month after his arrest.

There is good news, however. TMZ reports that because Indio Downey is a first-time offender, he's entitled to a drug diversion program so it's unlikely that he'll actually end up doing jail time for this. As long as Downey cooperates and genuinely tries to battle the addiction that has plagued his father and remains ingrained in his genetics, then this could all be behind him soon enough.

Addiction is a lifetime disease that can only best be managed by taking it one day at a time, but thankfully Downey has support in the form of his father who will understand what he's potentially going through better than anyone else. Hopefully, this will be an isolated incident that Downey is already reluctant to repeat. If not, then Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect proof of how one can turn one's entire life around if only one is willing to work very hard to do so.