Gossip Girl actress Chanel Banks denies missing claims, alleges family abuse

Chanel Banks, found safe in Texas, denies she was missing, accusing family of abuse and manipulation.

Chanel Banks, a 36-year-old actress known for her appearances on Gossip Girl and Blue Bloods, has spoken out after being reported missing by her family. The Los Angeles Police Department reported her missing on November 8, but she was located safe in Texas on November 11. Banks has since denied being missing, claiming she went to Texas on her own to get baptized and escape alleged abuse by her family.

In a post on her verified Instagram account, Banks wrote, “I have been silently carrying the pain of ritual abuse, manipulation, and torment from my family since I was a defenseless baby.” Her cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, raised the alarm about her disappearance on social media, but Banks disputed Singh’s claims, accusing her of being “fame-hungry” and fabricating their relationship.

Despite police confirming Banks is safe, her family has expressed doubts, with Singh and Banks’ mother claiming the person seen in police body camera footage didn’t resemble her. Banks has refuted these claims, reiterating that she is fine and needed to distance herself from her relatives.

Banks also alleged that her family and her husband’s family had attempted to put her in a conservatorship. However, her husband, Carlos Jimenez, denied this but acknowledged her allegations of abuse against her family.

This case has drawn significant attention, with Banks addressing the ongoing dispute and clarifying her side of the story while continuing to maintain her safety and independence.