Missing 15-year-old girl from Monterey Park found safely
Alison Jillian Chao, 15, was found safely on Tuesday with the assistance of the Glendale Police Department, according to the Monterey Park Police Department.
Chao was first reported missing on Tuesday, July 16, around 6:20 p.m. in the 4400 block of Collis Avenue in the El Sereno area, according to the Monterey Park Police Department.
Investigators said she left her father's home in the 200 block of N. Ynez Avenue in Monterey Park around 5:30 p.m. and was heading to a family member's house in San Gabriel. She was riding a blue mountain bike and was carrying a black backpack.
"MPPD detectives, in cooperation with our local, county, state and federal partner agencies have been investigating this case continuously since Alison was reported missing," said a statement from MPPD." We continue to work with the Chao family and are canvassing neighborhoods in the area, reviewing surveillance video footage and interviewing possible witnesses."
On Monday, dozens of friends, family and community members flooded the streets in search party for the missing teen, stopping to put up fliers wherever they could.
Last week, similar efforts led searchers to Lauren Kincade-Wong, who checked her home's surveillance system and found unseen footage of Chao riding past her house.
"It's heartbreaking, because you can tell she's just right there," she said. "My husband pulled into the driveway right before she rode by. So, if we have just known we could have done something."
The new video trail throws a loop into the investigation, as Chao can be seen riding in the opposite direction of where her family member lives. Some sources say that the trail is heading towards a different home, also owned by her father.
Chao's mother released a statement on Monday, saying that her father, whom she is in the process of divorcing, was supposed to bring their daughter to her the next morning, only learning of her disappearance when she was contacted by police late Tuesday last week.
Her father was expected to speak to the public at 1:30 p.m. downtown Los Angeles. It is unclear if he will still be speaking or not.
