Food Influencer Meredith Hayden Reveals She Was Drugged and Kidnapped at Hollywood Party
Meredith Hayden, the social media chef and culinary personality behind the popular Wishbone Kitchen brand, has publicly disclosed a traumatic incident where she was drugged and kidnapped at a Hollywood premiere party four years ago. In a candid video response posted on Tuesday, Hayden addressed her mental health struggles and travel anxiety, which were criticised in a now-deleted TikTok video ahead of her birthday trip to Japan.
The Disturbing Incident at a Luxurious Hollywood Setting
Hayden, who is 30 years old, explained in her emotional video that the source of her anxiety stems from a harrowing experience at a high-profile Hollywood event. "The reason why I was crying and anxious about flying across the globe is because four years ago, I was roofied at a Hollywood premiere party in a very luxurious setting where I thought I was safe and I thought I could trust the people around me," she revealed. Being "roofied" refers to being surreptitiously drugged with a substance like Rohypnol, a date-rape drug known to induce drowsiness and cause memory lapses.
Hayden recounted that during the party, she began to feel unwell and attempted to leave for home. However, her situation took a terrifying turn when someone forcibly pushed her into a vehicle. "Someone pushed me into their car and kidnapped me for, like, a few hours," she stated, adding with a note of resilience, "And I’m laughing because humor is the way I cope."
Reasons for Silence and Lack of Police Report
The influencer shared that she chose not to speak about the incident online previously because it occurred as she was building her following on TikTok, and she feared being labelled the "roofie kidnap girl." Additionally, Hayden did not report the kidnapping to law enforcement agencies. She cited the absence of security camera footage as a key factor, noting that the party invitation explicitly stated, "Don't worry, the cameras will be off, so we can all really let loose." This lack of evidence, combined with not knowing anyone at the event, made her feel that reporting would be futile.
"I put my big girl pants on, and I shoved the feelings down for as long as I could. So, yeah, I still get anxious leaving my house. And I probably will forever," Hayden confessed, highlighting the lasting psychological impact. She has not provided further comment to media outlets following her disclosure.
Rise to Fame and Ongoing Mental Health Challenges
Meredith Hayden rose to viral prominence in early 2022 through her engaging "Day in the Life" TikTok vlogs, which documented her work as a private chef for a fashion designer in the Hamptons. Her authentic daily content and recipe sharing quickly amassed a loyal following, and she now boasts nearly four million followers across Instagram and TikTok platforms. Last year, her culinary influence was cemented with the release of The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, which spent an impressive 12 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.
Despite her professional success, Hayden continues to grapple with significant mental health issues stemming from the alleged kidnapping. She disclosed that she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and a touch of agoraphobia, which makes crowded spaces particularly daunting. This was evident during her recent 30th birthday trip to Tokyo, where she shared updates with followers but also expressed anxiety about visiting the bustling city.
"So, yes, I was staying in very nice hotels. It was my 30th birthday, and that was my present to myself," Hayden explained. "But that doesn't mean you can't have anxiety about your situation, about being in a foreign country where you don't speak the language and you know nobody except for the person you're traveling with." Her story underscores the complex interplay between public persona and private trauma in the digital age.
