Child Star Syndrome: (Disorder) Psychological condition that arises when a child is thrust into the spotlight too early, causing long-term catastrophic fuckuppery.

Former child star trainwreck Tatum O'Neal, now 44-years-old, was busted trying to buy crack on Manhattan's Lower East side last night. From the New York Post:

"When the police approached, she asked them, 'You know who I am, right?' " one source said. "Then she said, 'I'm researching a part - I'm doing this for a part as a junkie.' "

The source said detectives found a pipe on O'Neal, daughter of actor Ryan O'Neal. The pipe and screen were clean. "Then she said she'd been clean for two years, and that she'd just came out today," the source said.

"Can't we just forget about this?" sources said she begged the detectives.

Well, you know what they say about those who don't learn from the history being doomed to repeat it. Because I'm pretty sure Lindsay Lohan already tried that whole "researching a part" excuse before. It looks like young grasshopper has already surpassed the master, eh? By the time Lindsay is 45 and getting busted for crack, she'll probably have some kind of uncanny, "Matrix" like defense for getting arrested where she'll dodge those silly police questions like bullets in slow-motion.

More of the new superhuman breed of child star at the MTV Movie Awards: