Alison Jillian Chao, a 15-year-old who went missing earlier this month, was just found. The teen girl simply walked up to the American broadcaster ABC7’s offices in Glendale, California, USA. As per a security guard working for the media, Alison was walking in the area when a driver followed her before recognizing she was a missing minor and calling the police.
Highlights
- 15-year-old Alison Jillian Chao, who went missing on July 16, turned up at ABC7 studios in Glendale a week later.
- A driver named Rachelle recognized Alison as a missing minor and called the police, following her to ABC7 studios.
- Alison’s mother, Annie Chao, expressed immense relief and gratitude toward the good Samaritan who helped her daughter.
“I am incredibly relieved that Alison has been found safe,” Alison’s mother, Annie Chao, said in an official statement released by the family’s lawyer's offices, Gregory E. Almas, on Tuesday (July 23). “My love for Alison is unconditional and unwavering.”
When Alison went missing in Monterey Park, California, on July 16, family, friends, and strangers began sharing flyers in person and online.
Alison Jillian Chao, a 15-year-old who went missing earlier this month, was just found
Image credits: Monterey Park Police Department
The teen had reportedly left her household on a bike, believed to have headed to her aunt's home in San Gabriel, California, but she never arrived.
One of the flyers circulating with Alison's photo reached Rachelle one day before she picked up her morning coffee on Tuesday in Glendale, where she unexpectedly spotted Alison walking by, ABC7 reported on Thursday (July 25).
"There's no way that could be the missing person," Rachelle recalled thinking. "Something in my head said, 'It's her.'"
Image credits: Monterey Park Police Department
Rachelle subsequently called the police and followed Alison by car for several blocks until she reached the ABC7 studios. Glendale police reportedly arrived shortly after.
The good Samaritan told the broadcaster: "What struck me immediately was how self-possessed she was.
“Sound of mind. Very articulate, very clear on what the situation was.
"She was very clear on 'I've come to ABC to tell my story. No one else will listen to me.'"
The teen girl simply walked up to the American broadcaster ABC7’s offices in Glendale, California, USA
Image credits: KTLAS5
Rachelle emphasized that she would have let Alison down if she hadn't acted, noting: "She was crying. She was very upset. Mostly about not being able to tell her story."
The details around Alison’s disappearance remain unclear. However, the Monterey Park Police Department is reportedly handling an investigation.
Meanwhile, publicly available information points toward a difficult family situation, as Annie said in her official statement: “Alison is a young girl and her feelings about my divorce from her father are understandably complicated, but she has a family (both my side and her dad's side) that loves and adores her.”
Image credits: FOX 11 Los Angeles
Image credits: etchaskej
Alison’s lawyer, Emily Robinson, who has been defending the teen’s best interests during her parent’s divorce since May, revealed that Annie had been awarded sole custody of her daughter.
Emily wrote in an official statement on Tuesday: “Based upon my advocacy for Alison, in consultation with her medical professionals, along with evidence presented to the court, which has included testimony from both parents, the judge has made determinations that are solely in Alison's best interest, including awarding Alison's mother, Annie Chao, sole decision making authority regarding Alison's mental health and sole physical custody of her.”
The lawyer admitted that the current situation was “very complex” and warned that the ordeal shouldn’t be “in the public forum.”
Rachelle, the driver, recognized Alison as a missing minor and called the police
Image credits: etchaskej
She further shared: “It is being rendered even more damaging to Alison by misleading and inaccurate social media posts from third parties that have virtually no understanding of the facts.”
Alison’s father, Jeffery Chao, and her aunt held a press conference to express their appreciation to the public for their help searching for Alison, ABC7 reported on Wednesday (July 24).
While the family's attorney said they were limited in being able to answer questions about her situation because of pending litigation, the Chaos confirmed that Alison's mother was granted full custody of her on a temporary basis.
"What struck me immediately was how self-possessed she was," Rachelle recalled
Image credits: ABC7
Additionally, her aunt reportedly said she believed Alison ran away because she did not want to be with her mother. The family wasn't sure where she had spent the last week, as per ABC7.
“A week ago, when I learned from the police that Alison was missing, I feared the worst,” Annie said in her official statement. “This has been an incredibly difficult time for my family and I, and I am really at a loss for words about how to express how I am feeling.”
She continued: “I am committed to doing everything possible to help Alison move forward and heal in the days and weeks ahead.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) reportedly said it was bound by state confidentiality laws to not discuss whether it has had any contact or involvement with Alison and her family.
“I will continue to communicate with law enforcement authorities and I hope to have a better understanding regarding the circumstances surrounding Alison's disappearance very soon,” Annie wrote.
Alison is currently in the DCFS custody, ABC7 reported.
"It's not easy raising teenagers, especially when parents are divorced," a reader commented
