An actor known for her role in Gossip Girl has mysteriously vanished, with her parents accusing her husband of refusing to help the desperate search for their daughter.
Chanel Maya Banks, 36, hasn’t been seen in two weeks.
She portrayed Sawyer Bennett in the third series of the popular TV show Gossip Girl, as well as appearing in the likes of Blue Bloods and Twelve.
It is reported she disappeared in Los Angeles, with members of her family flying in to help.
Her cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh told ABC7 News: “Five days without hearing from my cousin is red flags and alarm bells. She doesn’t go more than 48 hours without speaking to me or her mom…That girl is more like a big sister to me.”
Chanel Maya Banks in Gossip Girl (The CW)
Singh claims Banks’ husband of one year hasn’t been cooperating with authorities or the family. Welfare checks were conducted at the actors’ home on 7 and 8 November and didn’t locate her.
Her family claim they recently entered the apartment she has been living in with her husband, where they found her belongings except for her laptop and phone.
Her dog was also there despite her ‘not going anywhere without’ it.
The cousin added of the man: “He’s not willing to help LAPD. He’s not willing to help me or her mom find her. He is removing flyers off of posts and cars.”
Singh has launched a GoFundMe to help raise money to ‘hire a private investigator’ as they worry the police aren’t taking the case seriously enough.
“LAPD have told us because there’s no signs of foul play, and her husband has not committed any crime by with-holding information, there’s nothing they can do until they have evidence or probable cause to arrest him,” she wrote.
The family are raising money to hire a private investigator to help find her (GoFundMe)
“We also need money for hotels, food, rental car and gas. We are not from Los Angeles. I flew in from Toronto, Canada and her mom flew here from New York.
“Chanel has no family or friends here and would NEVER go somewhere without telling her mom. Please help us find my cousin.”
Singh also described how they have asked the husband where Banks is, but claims all he responds is: “She does not want to be found, she will reach out when she’s ready.”
She added: “He claims he does not know where she is, he says he hasn’t seen or heard from her since November 7, but never called police to say she’s gone.”
Banks has been listed as an official missing person in California and her missing person case number is #241414853.
Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@ohheychanel / The CW
The parents of a seven-year-old girl who died in a collapsed sand hole have spoken out for the first time following the devastating ordeal.
Seven-year-old Sloan Mattingly and her brother Maddox were on a family holiday in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, and had been digging a hole on the beach when the sand collapsed in on them.
The hole was around five to six feet deep when the sand collapsed, burying them alive.
Sloan was completely buried, while Maddox was buried up to his neck in the sand.
Emergency services rushed to the scene where a large group of people were desperately trying to rescue the children. Despite their best efforts, Sloan was later pronounced dead.
Her brother is said to be recovering and in a stable condition at Broward Health Medical Center.
The incident remains under investigation by the authorities, who first arrived on the scene around four minutes after emergency calls were first made.
GoFundMe
Now, Sloan’s parents, Therese and Jason, have spoken out about the ordeal in order to warn others.
Speaking to ABC News, mum Therese said: “[How it happened] is kind of the question we have too because we’re the kind of people that other parents or family members would roll their eyes at because we’re a little overprotective most of the time.
“I think of everything. When we go to the beach, we think of water safety. And this never, ever once crossed my mind.
“And course now, looking now, I think ‘of course!’ and so that part’s really frustrating.”
Dad Jason said that everyone involved in the rescue mission ‘tried their hardest’ to save his daughter but ‘unfortunately, it didn’t work out in our favour.’
The devastated parents also expressed concern for Maddox, who they said was ‘best friends’ with his sister.
Jason said: “I think he’ll always be a little different now, but we’re willing to do whatever we need to do to make sure he has the help to kind of process this and move forward with Sloan in his heart.”
ABC News
Since Sloan’s tragic passing, Jason and Therese and have been ‘overwhelmed’ by the love and support they’ve received.
“We’ve read every letter. We really appreciate all the support.”
They are now trying to raise awareness around beach safety to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.
“I don’t know what steps to take in order for that to happen – for, you know, signage or lifeguards or patrol,” Therese said.
“But hopefully we can make some sort of change from this.”
To donate to the GoFundMe set up to help raise funds for the grieving family, click here.
Featured Image Credit: ABC News/CBS Miami
Topics: US News
A fundraiser set up for an 11-year-old girl who tragically lost her family in what police described as a ‘truly horrendous collision’ has received more than £400,000 in donations.
Poppie Morgan-Roller was orphaned after her parents Shane Roller and Shannen Morgan were killed in a horror car crash on the A61 near Wakefield, UK, on 21 July, along with her two sisters, Lillie, four, and Rubie, nine.
The family were heading out for a walk when their Ford Focus collided with a motorcycle ridden by Christopher Barton, 56 and his wife Janine, 48, who were also fatally injured.
Poppie, meanwhile, was playing at the home of family friend Paul Hepple, 37, after deciding she didn’t want to join them on the outing and was about to have a Sunday dinner when the tragic news came through over a phone call.
Paul later set up a GoFundMe for the school girl to raise funds to help with her ‘well-being, including her living expenses, education, and any counselling she may need’ in wake of the tragedy.
The family were tragically killed in the crash (GoFundMe/PA)
The software developer vowed to stand by Poppie and ensure she has a ‘stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow’.
Now, 12 weeks on from that fateful day, Paul has issued an update while also thanking people for their generosity after an ‘astonishing’ amount of money was raised for her.
The GoFundMe page had quickly surpassed it’s £3,000 goal within a matter of days, but it has now been closed after reaching an incredible £408,207.
Paul praised the community for their kindness, saying those close to the Morgan-Roller family had been overwhelmed by the ‘outpouring of love and support’ Poppie has received.
He wrote: “There have been 22.5 thousand donations from people all over the world. Donations are now closed, as the amount raised is far beyond what anyone could have expected. It’s truly remarkable.”
A GoFundMe has raised over £400,000 for Poppie’s future (GoFundMe/PA)
‘Not a single penny’ has been touched so far, Paul said, but the staggering amount of cash for Poppie’s future is set to be placed into a trust fund and her aunt Faye has been added as a beneficiary to handle the transfer.
Discussing Poppie’s progress, he said: “Poppie is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
“Poppie and her Aunt, Faye, have also received invaluable support from Brake, the road safety charity, who have been instrumental in helping them manage the legal side of things and providing guidance.”
He added: “Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your continued kindness, patience, and support. Your generosity has not only secured Poppie’s future but has also brought light during a very dark time.”
The police investigation into the deadly crash remains ongoing.
As a result, an inquest into the tragedy has been postponed to a future date which is still yet to be determined.
Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe/PA
Johnny Depp’s former lawyer has set the record straight after rumours she was dating him.
Camille Vasquez represented the Pirates of the Caribbean actor during his famous defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard in 2022.
And as much of the internet became overly obsessed with (and had nothing better to do but) watching the celebrities’ trial on TV, speculation began circling that there was a romance between Depp and the US attorney.
But despite the online chatter, Vasquez actually found out about these suspicions from her parents although they already ‘knew definitively’ that it was very much false.
Camille Vasquez represented Johnny Depp during the trial (SHAWN THEW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Yep, she’s confirmed that there certainly weren’t sparks flying between her and the actor.
In an interview with Extra, shared yesterday (1 November), Vasquez firmly denied the dating rumours and even added that he’s not her type.
“I would never,” the attorney, who has also represented Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lopez, said. “Let me just go on the record here: never dated Johnny Depp. Never would date Johnny Depp. I think he’s a lovely person… He’s not my type.”
And as well as having no attraction to the actor, she hasn’t even really seen him on the big screen ‘in any film’.
“Maybe Chocolat?” Vasquez said, referencing the 2001 rom-com with Judi Dench and Juliette Binoche.
Vasquez has represented a number of celebrities (Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty Images)
Host Billy Bush asked the lawyer if she had at least seen Depp in one of the mega Pirates of the Caribbean films – because haven’t most of us? Well, no, it seems.
“Never to this day,” she admitted. “I have not seen him in Pirates.”
But while she might not necessarily be a big fan of his long list of films, Vasquez did say she was pretty taken aback by Depp when they first met.
“After maybe 30, 40 minutes of speaking with him, I remember having an out-of-body experience and looking at him and thinking, ‘He views the world so differently than I do’,” she recalled.
“He definitely uses a different part of his brain. He’s such an artist.”
Back in September, the actor said his life had become a ‘soap opera’ due to the trial with Heard.
Comparing his life to the artist Amedeo Modigliani’s while promoting his second directorial feature, Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness, he said: “Each [character] has their story because I’m sure we can say that I’ve been through number of things here and there.
“Maybe yours didn’t turn into a soap opera. I mean, literally, televised.”
Following the trial, Depp ended up being awarded $15 million, later capped at $10.35 million by the court. A separate verdict also saw Heard receive $2 million in damages.
Featured Image Credit: SHAWN THEW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images/Extra TV
Topics: Johnny Depp, Camille Vasquez, Amber Heard, US News, Celebrity
A man who was looking forward to the first day of a new job lost both of his legs in a freak accident.
US Colorado resident John O’Neill was 15 minutes into his first shift as a tree worker when he got caught in a woodchipper on 24 September.
The 33-year-old was throwing branches into the chipper when the end of a branch caught his tracking device, which pulled his leg into the machine.
Within seconds, the spinning metal blades were slicing up his legs, and no one could hear his cry for help because they had ear protectors on
John O’Neill lost both of his legs in a freak accident (GoFundMe)
After clinging onto dear life by gripping the edge of the wood chipper, his colleagues eventually caught on to what was happening.
John woke up in hospital hours later, without his legs.
“My heart stopped. …They essentially replaced all the blood in my body,” John told the Denver Post.
“I was yelling for help but everyone had ear protection on.
“It took a minute before my coworkers realised what was happening.
“I was fading out, but my coworkers kept me alive.”
He recalled: “The pain was very — it was not there almost.
“I didn’t really feel the pain as much as I knew I was in trouble.
“It went from a fight for my limb to a fight for my life, very fast.”
In what could have been his last moment, John said he thought of his loved ones, along with his high school wrestling coach.
“I thought of my mom and my friends and people who look up to me and people who needed me and people who were counting on me and people who have taught me to fight,” he admitted.
Colorado resident John O’Neil was fighting for his life 15 minutes into his first day at a new job (GoFundMe)
Although when he was pulled out, John could see his own torn-up skin, bones and blood, he says he somehow managed to ‘stay calm’.
Following a stint in rehab, John plans to continue charity work to help others become sober, as well as continuing with his passion for rock climbing.
“I feel like this has given me a bigger platform to help people in recovery from drugs and alcohol and help people in recovery from traumatic events,” he said.
“That’s the kind of goals I’m setting for myself to be right back there and I’m not going to listen to anyone who tells me that’s impossible.
“I’m someone who can do things I’ve never done before.”
“It’s beyond a miracle that John is still with us, and he’s fighting harder than ever,” his friend George Safir wrote on GoFundMe.
“Our friend has always been pretty reckless and living life on the edge! All while doing so, being a warrior in life.”
