A missing California teenager showed up outside a local news station begging to share her story a week after she disappeared.
Alison Jillian Chao, 15, disappeared July 16 after leaving her father’s home in Monterey Park to bike the four miles to her aunt’s house in San Gabriel.
The student with excellent grades was seen last Tuesday walking towards the ABC7 television studio in Glendale by a woman, Rachelle, who recognized her from the missing person poster.
Rachelle said the teen was desperately trying to talk to someone and shared a heartbreaking statement.
“She was very clear in saying, ‘I came to ABC to tell my story. No one else will listen to me,'” Rachelle told the network. local news outlet.
Missing teen Alison Jillian Chao (center) was found outside a local news station begging for her story to be shared a week after she went missing.
Chao, 15, disappeared July 16 while riding her bike four miles from her father’s home in Monterey Park to her aunt’s house in San Gabriel.
“What struck me immediately was how self-assured she was, how sound-minded, very articulate and very clear about the situation.
“She was crying. She was very sad. Especially because she couldn’t tell her story.”
Alison was last seen on surveillance footage in a disturbing photograph of herself riding her GT mountain bike wearing a purple T-shirt, black shorts and dark shoes. She was also carrying a backpack.
Rachelle followed the teen to the ABC7 studios, where they were met by police. Footage taken outside the studio shows Alison wearing an outfit similar to the one she was wearing when she was last seen.
“I can only tell you that this is someone who is three years away from adulthood, who feels like no one is listening to her and who has no avenue to obtain a ruling,” Rachelle said.
The woman who found her, Rachelle (pictured), said the teenager was desperately trying to talk to someone and said: “No one else will listen to me.”
The teenager was last seen in a disturbing photo showing her riding her GT mountain bike wearing a purple T-shirt with black shorts and dark shoes.
“I hope her family comes together, that they can resolve this for her, that the courts don’t fail her.”
Alison is now in the custody of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
The teens’ parents, Annie and Jeffery Chao, are going through a divorce and Jeffery’s attorneys said the girls’ mother was granted temporary physical custody last week.
Alison’s aunt said she believes the high school student ran away because she didn’t want to be with her mother.
“Alison is a young girl and her feelings about my divorce from her father are understandably complicated, but she has a family (on both my side and her father’s side) who love and adore her,” Annie said.
Alison’s aunt said she believes the high school student ran away because she didn’t want to be with her mother, who was awarded custody of her during the parents’ divorce.
‘I will always do everything in my power to protect Alison’s interests, no matter the circumstances and no matter what stones may be thrown at me.’
The family doesn’t know where Alison spent the week she was missing.
Jeffery thanked the people who helped find her, saying, “We were really concerned about where she was and we really appreciate what everyone has done.”
Alison’s court-appointed attorney, Emily Robinson, said the judges’ ruling is in Alison’s best interest.
‘Based on my advocacy for Alison, in consultation with her medical professionals, along with the evidence presented to the court, which included testimony from both parents, the judge made decisions that are solely in Alison’s best interest, including granting Alison’s mother, Annie Chao, sole decision-making authority regarding Alison’s mental health and sole physical custody of her.’