15-year-old Chinese-American girl Alison Chao, who went missing in Monterey Park, made headlines once again following her discovery. On Tuesday, July 30th, Alison’s father, Jeffery Chao, appeared in court in Los Angeles after being arrested by the Monterey Park police. He faces charges of felony child stealing/concealment and misdemeanor false reporting of an emergency.
During the court session, the prosecution alleged that Chao falsely reported his daughter missing and concealed her whereabouts. Chao, through his lawyer, strongly denied all charges brought against him.
The 40-year-old Chao was arrested by authorities on the Friday before Alison was found in Glendale, and has been held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles. His scheduled court appearance in Alhambra on July 29th was postponed, with his attorney not having received the formal charges.
Despite the delayed court appearance, on Monday, over forty individuals gathered outside the Alhambra courthouse to show support for Alison, urging the judge to listen to the child’s own voice.
During a press conference last week, Alison’s aunt, Jenny Chao, stated that Alison left her mother’s home on a bike because she did not want to live with her mother.
Regarding her brother’s arrest and charges, Jenny told reporters on Monday, “Jeffery is an outstanding citizen. He has fought for America. He served in the United States Marine Corps. He has always been a good person, so this is really unfortunate.”
A journalist from New Tang Dynasty Television sought comments from Alison’s mother on Monday morning but had not received a clear response by deadline. However, based on a statement issued by her last Friday, she said, “I believe Jeffery manipulated Alison to make false accusations against me, and he continues to obstruct and damage my relationship with Alison. Before our separation, Alison and I had a close, loving relationship.”
Alison’s parents have been in a legal battle for custody of their children since last year. The lawsuit is ongoing, with the mother currently having temporary custody of Alison.
Lawyers stated that Alison is currently in good condition, under the care of the Department of Children and Families Service. However, details about her activities during her disappearance remain unknown.
If convicted, Chao could face up to five years in prison. His bail was set at $500,000, and a GPS tracking system was installed on him by the judge.
Alison was last seen leaving her home in Monterey Park on July 16th, planning to visit her aunt in San Gabriel, but she never arrived. According to the prosecutor’s office, Chao is suspected of stealing/concealing his daughter that night and falsely reporting her disappearance to the police.
Alison’s disappearance sparked a large-scale community search. Hundreds of missing person flyers were posted and distributed throughout the San Gabriel Valley in hopes of finding the teenager. During the search, there were reports of sightings in El Sereno, and on Tuesday morning the 23rd, she was safely found outside a local television station in Glendale.