In January of 1952 after two years of exile, Lila was permitted to return to California. She was reunited with her son and was determined to regain her profession as an actress. Unfortunately, the door was firmly shut and after a few singing jobs, Lila returned to Chicago. She did a few gigs and developed a relationship with piano player Irv Rochlin. They both began to use heroin and Lila ended up in the psycho ward of a hospital as a victim of narcotics. Shortly after that, Rochlin and Lila were wed. Later in the year he was arrested for an attempted robbery and was given a jail sentence. Soon after, Lila gave birth to a second son. She continued to work in the clubs and was still well received by audiences.
In late 1953, she was caught smuggling a syringe and narcotics to her jailed husband. The following year she quit her singing career and was later arrested for being in the company of two known drug abusers. Lila was publicly branded a narcotics addict. She was sentenced to a year at the U. S. Health Service hospital in Lexington, Ky. Lila lost custody of her two sons.
She was released the following year and was called to give testimony as an addict at a government investigation into the perils of drug addiction. Clean at the time, Lila’s honest description of the perils of narcotics was well received by the Senate Committee. The next year Lila was arrested on a soliciting charge. The tumultuous decade continued and the future looked very grim for Lila Leeds.
