Topics: Gossip Girl, Celebrity, Crime, US News, News, TV And Film
The family of a former Gossip Girl star has launched an appeal for her whereabouts after mysterious vanishing two weeks ago.
Chanel Maya Banks, 36 - best known for having played Sawyer Bennett, close friend of central character Jenny Humphrey, in the popular TV drama - was last seen in the Los Angeles area, with her parents accusing her husband of not cooperating with authorities or the family following her disappearance.
Banks' family have since flown to the California in the hope of determining what her whereabouts had been prior in the days prior.
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The actress' cousin Danielle-Tori Singh first voiced her concerns over Banks' wellbeing last month, telling ABC7 News that they hadn't heard from her for five days, describing the silence as a 'red flag' and something that rang 'alarm bells'.
"She doesn't go more than 48 hours without speaking to me or her mom," she explained. "That girl is more like a big sister to me."
Danielle - who has since been putting up flyers in the area that Banks was last spotted - also told press that she feels 'deep down in her soul', that something is 'not right'.
"We love you so much," she said in a public appeal for information. "We just want to know you're okay and that you're safe and that nobody did anything to you."
The TV star's family say her husband - whom she wed in November last year, uploading a wedding TikTok at the time - has refused to help West Coast police in their search.
Singh said he'd even been taking down some of the 'missing' flyers they'd put up, claiming: "He's not willing to help LAPD. He's not wiling to help me or her mom find her. He is removing flyers off of posts and cars."
Danielle also claimed that her Banks' husband recent bore a 'busted lip' during their last sighting off him, adding: "She would NEVER go anywhere without telling her mom or myself.
"We noticed on November 10 that her husband has a busted lip and marks and scratches on his neck and arms."
She went on to say: "Police were called on November 10 and they took pictures of his injuries, which he did not have two days ago when police did the last welfare check.
"We asked him where is Chanel, and all he continues to say is, 'She does not want to be found, she will reach out when she's ready."'
Speaking to the US news outlet, Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they were continuing to work on their case of her disappearance, claiming they'd attended her home four times in the month prior for wellbeing checks, but that she was away from home each time.
Danielle later told KTLA 5 that the last text received from Banks was on 30 October, and that she'd last used social media an entire month prior.
Upon recent investigation, however, the phone belonging to the actress - who is also known to have appeared in the likes of Blue Bloods and Twelve - appeared to have died, meaning her location was untraceable.
Her cousin also revealed that her pet dog had been found in her apartment in the days following her last attempt at contact.
She and Banks' mother also told press that 'all of her belongings' were still at the property, and that her car was parked in the driveway.
Danielle has also set up an official GoFundMe page in a bid to raise funds for 'a private investigator', amid concerns that the authorities aren't doing their part to help them find out what happened to the actress.
"LAPD have told us because there’s no signs of foul play, and her husband has not committed any crime by withholding information, there’s nothing they can do until they have evidence or probable cause to arrest him," she explained.
"We also need money for hotels, food, rental car and gas. We are not from Los Angeles. I flew in from Toronto, Canada and her mom flew here from New York."
Banks has now officially been listed as a missing person in California, with her case number being #241414853.
LADbible Group has contacted the LAPD for a comment.
