Chanel Maya Banks, 'Gossip Girl' Star Once Reported Missing, Files Restraining Order Against Her Mom and Cousin
Chanel Maya Banks has filed a restraining order against her mother and cousin months after her family reported her missing in Los Angeles.
Banks, who played Sawyer Bennett on Gossip Girl opposite Blake Lively, filed the restraining order on Thursday, December 26. She claimed her mother, Lutchmin Judy Kumar, and cousin, Danielle Singh, not only harassed her, but broke into her apartment and are working in cahoots to destroy her reputation.
Banks claims she went no contact with the pair, but say they continued to contact her, even reported her missing after numerous welfare checks. The actress, who also appeared on Blue Bloods and Twelve, alleged on November 10 Kumar and Singh attacked her husband Carlos, stole his work badge, and tracked her location using an Apple AirTag — all of which she says have police reports. She claims she also has texts from the pair threatening to "weaponize the police" against her.
She alleged Kumar and Singh accused her husband of murder, and requested a 5150 psychiatric hold — an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization that allows for the temporary detention of an individual experiencing a mental health crisis — on her.
ENSTARZ previously reported that four separate welfare checks were made by LAPD, who began searching for her since she went no contact with her family on October 30. Banks was found safe and sound, without any injuries, and reports say no foul play is suspected.
"She is fine," spokesperson for the LAPD, Charles Miller, said at the time per PEOPLE. "No danger. She is OK. She has been taken out of the missing person system for us and we have closed our investigation."
Banks confirmed on social media that she was never missing. In the now deleted Instagram post, Banks addressed "who needs to hear this" to "get off ig [and] stop harassing me."
TMZ reports she explained how she visited Texas to be baptized.
On November 15, she also shared a carousel of photos getting her makeup done.
"I heard you were looking for me, now what?" she asked in the caption.
