Earlier this year, Celebrity Fit Club star Nicole Eggert alleged on Twitter that Happy Days alum Scott Baio molested her when she was a teenager during the late 1980s.
She later made an appearance on Megyn Kelly Today, and claimed that the sexual abuse "happened quite often" at Baio's house from the time she was 14 until she turned 17. Eggert said it happened more than 10 times and about once a week.
The 46-year-old actress also told Kelly that Baio harassed her when they worked together on the set of Charles in Charge.
"There was just a lot of groping, a lot of fondling, a lot of pulling me on his lap, trying to sneak kisses in the back, which a lot of cast members saw," she recalled. "I don't think they knew about the actual physical sexual abuse, but everybody knew the attention that he gave me."
About a month later, another one of Baio's co-stars, Alexander Polinsky, also spoke out about experiencing sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of the actor.
"I was sexually harassed by Scott Baio and ultimately assaulted by him between the ages of 12 and 15 years old," Polinsky told reporters at a press conference where he was accompanied by his attorney and Eggert. "Getting the job on 'Charles in Charge' when I was 11 was one of the most wonderful things that happened to me. It represented everything good about my life and my future. My excitement did not last long."
Polinsky shared a lot of disturbing details about Baio's alleged actions towards him, including calling him slurs and showing him his private parts.
"Scott pulled down my pants in front of over a hundred people and on another time he laughed as he cut a hole in the canvas wall on my private dressing room on set and exposed his genitals to me," he continued.
"One of the most painful memories of my childhood was when Scott and I were backstage waiting to enter the set for a scene. I faked a basketball to him "“ he got startled and out of anger he assaulted me by throwing a cup of hot tea in my face I believe I was being subjected to mental torture and retaliation for what I had seen. The abuse continued through the run of the show. The adults on set were aware of these things but were too scared of losing a job in a hit show to act," he concluded.
Once these allegations became public knowledge, Baio denied the claims in a statement released via his spokesperson Brian Glicklich and attorney Jennifer McGrath.
"For reasons I don't understand, I am the target of false claims that threaten everything that is important in my life," read the statement. "I am hurt and I am angry. But mostly, I am stunned that anyone could be so cruel as to attack not just me, but my entire family with lies. "I will not let this continue unchallenged and will use every ounce of strength and faith in God that I have to defeat the people behind this. This story is just beginning to be told."
Despite the fact that the Statute of Limitation had already passed, the claims against Baio were being investigated by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Now, after months of silence, we finally have a verdict - Baio will not be charged with sexual assault.
The DA's Office refused to press charges against the 57-year-old actor because according to documents obtained by People, "the applicable statute of limitations to the crimes alleged by the victim have expired."
Eggert, who was not pleased with the outcome immediately took to Twitter to share her thoughts.
"Wait for it...dismissed on Statutes of Limitation...NEVER bcz of LACK OF EVIDENCE!! Case closed molester @scottbaio," she tweeted.
Wait for it...dismissed on Statutes of Limitation...NEVER bcz of LACK OF EVIDENCE!! Case closed molester @scottbaio
— Nicole Eggert (@NicoleEggert) June 19, 2018
She added in a second tweet, "Dismissed due to Statute of Limitation = GUILTY. Period."
Dismissed due to Statute of Limitation = GUILTY. Period.
— Nicole Eggert (@NicoleEggert) June 19, 2018
Neither Baio nor his spokesperson were available for comments, but the Joani Loves Chachi actor previously spoke about the accusations on Good Morning America.
"Why would I have a concern over something I didn't do?" he said on the show. "Rather than take your case to social media, where people tend to beat up people like me, why not do it through the proper channels? You put up allegations like that, and it becomes like wildfire."
He denied both Eggert and Polinsky's claims and added that they were never "alone" together on the set of the sitcom.
"...there's teachers, parents, family, crew, producers, my dad. So how any of this could have happened is absolutely impossible," Baio said.
When the allegations first came to light, McGrath revealed that once Baio is "totally cleared of any wrongdoing, he will pursue any and all legal options as to anyone who knowingly made false statements against him."
While Eggert insists that her claims are founded, the DA's decision could mean that a massive lawsuit is coming her way in the upcoming weeks.
Do you think the prosecutors should've charged Baio? Let us know in the comments!
