Amid many distressing recent news stories, a bright spot: Chanel Maya Banks, a former actor who had a recurring role on the third season of Gossip Girl (as one of Jenny Humphreyâs minions), credited under the name Maya Farrell, has been found alive and unharmed shortly after her family reported her missing.
The situation came to light after Banksâs cousin Danielle-Tori Singh started a GoFundMe page to raise money so that the family could travel to California to look for her, as sheâd been living in Playa Vista.
âOn November 10 my aunt and I were able to get into the apartment and all of her belongings are still there. The only items we did not locate are her phone and laptop. She also does not go anywhere without her little dog, which also has been left behind. She also does not have her vehicle because itâs parked in her garage. She would NEVER go anywhere without telling her mom or myself,â she wrote on the page, per Deadline. Singhâs post noted that the family had not heard from Banks since October 30, and that although the police conducted multiple welfare checks at her home, she was never there.
Singh further revealed that Banksâs husband of a year told the family that she âdid not wantâ to be found and would reach out âwhen she was ready.â Banks had recently pivoted from acting to writing.
On November 13 an LAPD spokesperson assured People that Chanel Maya Banks had been found alive and unharmed in Texas. Another agency (the Gossip Girl spotted map?) located her and reported the information to the police. âShe is fine,â the spokesperson said. âNo danger. She is okay. She has been taken out of the missing person system for us and we have closed our investigation.â TMZ further reports that Banks had no injuries and foul play is not suspected. Thank goodness!
