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Chanel Banks safe, denies family's missing claim
The family of actress Chanel Banks reported her missing in October. In a FaceTime interview with True Crime News, Banks says she's safe, and alleged years of abuse at the hands of her family. Her family though don't believe the woman in the interview was Banks.
LOS ANGELES - Chanel Banks, an actress who made headlines over her alleged disappearance, went on FaceTime with True Crime News to tell the public she was safe.
Earlier on Wednesday, November 13, Banks' family held a press conference in Los Angeles saying the actress was missing, despite police reports saying Banks was safe.
Later in the afternoon, Banks appeared on True Crime News, not only showing her face in the video call, but also turning the tables on her family by accusing them of abuse.
"For my entire life I have been silently carrying the pain of the ritual," Banks said in a statement released to True Crime News. "Abuse, manipulation, and outright endless torment I’ve endured continuously since I was a defenseless baby, at the hands of my own so-called family, whom are all so very ‘concerned’ about my current whereabouts."
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Family claims Chanel Banks remains missing [PREVIOUS COVERAGE]
The family of actress Chanel Banks claim she is still missing despite police reports stating she's been found safe.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family claims Banks went missing
"I have met with the Police and verified that not only am I okay, but I’m finally free," Banks said in the statement via True Crime News.
Banks explained in the statement that the actress took a "Freedom Ride" out of Los Angeles to what she called a "Promise Land."
The actress denies having any mental health issues leading up to her fleeing Los Angeles.
Prior to Banks showing her face on camera, her cousin Danielle-Tori Singh flew into Los Angeles from Canada to check in on Banks, who was not in her Playa Vista home.
"She has been married for just over a year, and her husband is being uncooperative with police," Singh wrote on Wednesday.
The Los Angeles Police Department said Banks was found safe in Texas and the case had been closed, an update the actress' family vehemently denied earlier on Wednesday afternoon.
Below is a statement released by Banks via True Crime News:
"My name is Chanel Banks I’m a 36 year old American nobody, and for my entire life I have been silently carrying the pain of the ritual…abuse, manipulation, and outright endless torment I’ve endured continuously since I was a defenseless baby, at the hands of my own so called family, whom are all so very "concerned" about my current whereabouts.
I have met with the Police and verified that not only am I okay, but I’m finally free… (sic) 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 baptized by one of my favorite 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. God said: I’m going to give you some money and I was shocked when it appeared just like He said. Then He said: I want you to move. So I made my Exodus and took my Freedom Ride first class (on Spirit air no less) to the Promise Land.
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 the cause, help me. I will never allow myself to be silenced ever again- least of all by my abusers.
For 36 crushing years I’ve had to endure the most abominable abuses.
Despite her (cousin Danielle’s) 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 falsefy 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. In this digital era they were able for decades without my knowledge or consent to reach out to my colleagues, friends, even neighbors to sabotage and effectively destroy not only my life’s work, but any semblance of happiness or peace I could hold on to. 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 destabilize and break me.
Why? To silence me. I found out hours before leaving that not only my mothers family, but also my dear husbands were vehemently pursuing a CONSERVATORSHIP ie complete legal control to silence me. But I shall not be moved- ever.
There will be no more lies. Everything in the darkness must come to light. Thus says the Lord."