Rachelle, a Glendale, California, resident who discovered missing 15-year-old Alison Jillian Chao, expressed deep remorse for intervening and calling the police as the teen was on her way to ABC7 studios, where Chao wanted to tell her side of the story. Rachelle felt a strong sense of responsibility for the girl’s situation, noting that she was visibly distressed and upset.

• Chao’s distress: “What struck me immediately was how self-possessed she was. Sound of mind. Very articulate, very clear on what the situation was. She was very clear on ‘I’ve come to ABC to tell my story. No one else will listen to me,’” Rachelle told ABC7. A day before Chao’s disappearance on July 16, a video, recorded by Chao herself, surfaced online in which she refused to go with the police to a “facility” at the command of her parents. “I’m not going anywhere with her… She abused me. She hurt me. I don’t feel safe with her around,” Chao says.
• Statement of Chao’s parents: Chao’s mother, Annie, has since released a statement, acknowledging the complexities of her daughter’s feelings about her divorce and assured that both sides of the family love and support her. Alison’s father, Jeffrey, also expressed gratitude for the efforts to find her, while his sister suggested that Chao might have run away to avoid living with her mother, who was recently granted temporary physical custody. The case involves complex custody and mental health issues, with Chao currently in DCFS custody. Her court-appointed attorney stated that the situation should not be publicized, highlighting that the judge’s decisions were made in Chao’s best interest, granting her mother sole authority over her mental health and physical custody.