‘Missing’ Gossip Girl star is alive and slams family with damning claims

Gossip Girl star Chanel Maya Banks has said she is not missing and slammed her family in a furious statement.

The 36-year-old actress had been reported missing by family, who launched a desperate search for the star in Los Angeles. It was claimed Banks hadn’t been seen in two weeks and members of her family, such as her cousin Danielle, claimed they hadn’t heard from her in days.

However, police have since confirmed she has been found “safe and sound”. Local authorities told TMZ: “Chanel has now been found safe and sound. She doesn’t have any injuries and foul play isn’t suspected.”

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Chanel herself has now taken to social media to confirm she is “okay” and that she had met with police following concerns about her whereabouts. She issued a lengthy statement, claiming she had suffered “abuse”, “manipulation” and “outright endless torment”.

She said she was “finally free” from her family after leaving them and claimed they had lied about her in the press, and even that they were trying to place her under a “conservatorship”. She also alleged she hadn’t spoken to her cousin Danielle, who had herself claimed she and Chanel were in constant contact with one another.

In part of her statement on Instagram, she wrote: “I have met with the Police and verified that not only am I okay, but I’m finally free from my mother and her family. They say, once you’re free in Christ Jesus, you’re free indeed, so I told my husband six days ago I was going to get baptised by one of my favourite pastors Pastor Robert Clancy. He drove me to the airport and then I was off for a week… but I also saw it as an opportunity to escape my cage.

“Now I want not just freedom for me, but freedom for everyone suffering in silence. I want to come out so that people like me won’t be ashamed anymore. I want Justice. I’m asking God to help me get justice. I’m releasing a clarion call to those in high places who still have a soul and want to keep it in such a time as this. Reach out. Help me. I will never allow myself to be silenced ever again – least of all by my abusers.”

She continued: “Despite [my cousin] and my mother’s lies in the press, I have not spoken to Danielle in over 15 years much less every day or 48hrs as they’ve perjured. For decades my family has been my spiritual, physical, and emotional warden – giving me zero authority of my personage. I was not allowed to make any decisions in life in anyway without their approval.

“Every instance I’d get close to leaving they’d falsify official government documents relaying lies concerning my mental health – for the record – I have no mental health or any other record aside from a parking ticket here and there – so that law enforcement would unquestionably and mercilessly pursue me.

“When I spoke up, they called me mad, mercilessly gang stalked me – and obliterated any semblance of peace, a career or connections I ever had. It’s like they took shifts to isolate me by gaslighting me, lying to those who could help concerning my sanity, it was their life’s goal to destabilise and break me. Why? To silence me.

“I found out hours before leaving that not only my mothers family, but also my dear husband’s were vehemently pursuing a CONSERVATORSHIP ie complete legal control. There will be no more lies. Everything in the darkness must come to light. Thus says the Lord. PLEASE DO NOT DONATE TO ANY GO FUND ME THAT SAYS I’M MISSING I AM NOT MISSING.”

Cousin Danielle had previously told ABC7 News: “Five days without hearing from my cousin is red flags and alarm bells. She doesn’t go more than 48 hours without speaking to me or her mom…That girl is more like a big sister to me.”

It was said Banks was living with her husband of one year before family said they suddenly stopped hearing from her. It’s said they discovered her belongings, including her car and dog, at the property. However, they had been unable to locate her laptop and phone.

Her cousin had been distributing flyers in the local area in order to find her, but claims that the actress’ husband had been hindering their efforts. She accused him of refusing to assist the LAPD and of removing the flyers they’ve posted: “He’s not willing to help LAPD. He’s not willing to help me or her mom find her. He is removing flyers off of posts and cars.”

Banks, who tied the knot with her beau last November, has reportedly taken a step back from the limelight to channel her creativity into writing, her cousin claimed.

The actress appeared on the third series of Gossip Girl as Sawyer Bennett, a pal of Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen).

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk