Gossip Girl star Chanel Maya Banks missing for 2 weeks as family issue urgent plea

Gossip Girl actor Chanel Maya Banks has vanished from her LA apartment and has not been in contact for two weeks.

The 36-year-old, who played Jenny Humphrey’s (Taylor Momsen) friend Sawyer Bennett in the teen drama, has not been heard from since October 30.

She lives in the Playa Vista area with her husband of one year.

Banks’ family has flown to California to help with the search and her cousin Danielle-Tori Singh, from Toronto, Canada, told ABC7: ‘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.’

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed to the outlet they were investigating Banks’ disappearance.

It also said they had conducted welfare checks at her home but she was not there on the times they visited.

Banks’ family said they had entered her home and found her belongings and dog still there.

Singh said: ‘I can tell you in my soul, in my gut, something is not right. … We’re crossing two weeks now without a word, without a sound. Nothing.’

The family has now started a GoFundMe Page to pay for a private investigator and their costs while they search for Banks in California.

Recounting their efforts so far on the page, Singh wrote: ‘On November 10 my aunt and I were able to get into the apartment and all of her belongings are still there. The only items we did not locate are her phone and laptop.

‘She also does not go anywhere without her little dog, which also has been left behind. She also does not have her vehicle because it’s parked in her garage. She would NEVER go anywhere without telling her mom or myself.

‘I’m creating this go fund me because we need to hire a private investigator.’

At the time of writing, over $3,000 (£2,353) had been raised out of a $20,000 (£15,688) target.

Banks’ first on-screen role was in three episodes of Gossip Girl in 2009. She has also starred in Twelve and was Maria Romano in Blue Bloods.

Singh said in recent years Banks had turned away from acting and was pursuing writing.