The disappearance of a teenage girl from Monterey Park triggered an intense search and garnered widespread media attention. Friends and family rallied together, pleading for help as they scoured the San Gabriel Valley for any sign of her. What began as a desperate effort to find a missing child quickly spiraled into a complex web of family conflicts and legal issues that shocked the community.
This case serves not only as a reminder of the challenges families face but also highlights the complexities of parental relationships during times of crisis. As the truth behind the girl’s disappearance continues to unfold, the community remains invested in her story and the legal battles that ensued.
It was a case that sparked headlines: A teenage girl from Monterey Park had gone missing. Friends and family pleaded with the public for help, desperately searching for clues across the San Gabriel Valley.
Then, a seemingly happy ending: She was found outside the gates of KABC-TV Channel 7, apparently unharmed and eager to tell her story.
But the case has only gotten more bizarre in the last two weeks.
For the record:
7:28 a.m. Sept. 3, 2024This article misspells the first name of Jeffery Chao as Jeffrey.
The girl’s father, Jeffrey Chao, was arrested July 26, accused by authorities of concocting the missing-person story and hiding the girl from his estranged wife.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office then charged Chao with child stealing/concealment and falsifying a police report. He has since been released on $500,000 bond. He denies any wrongdoing.
The very public disappearance of the 15-year-old has since exposed a private family battle that pitted her mother against her father.
On the afternoon of July 16, the teen left her father’s home on North Ynez Avenue in Monterey Park. Family members said she was riding a blue mountain bike to her aunt’s house in San Gabriel, about 20 minutes away. When she didn’t arrive, her dad reported her missing.
