Father of California teen Alison Chao who went missing for a week arrested after she showed up at news station

A California father has been arrested following the disappearance of his teen daughter who went missing during a bike ride to a relative’s home, only to show up outside a local television station a week later.

Jeffrey Chao was taken into custody on charges of child abduction, conspiracy and falsifying a police report Friday after an “extensive investigation” into 15-year-old Alison Jillian Chao’s vanishing, according to the Monterey Park Police Department.

The missing teen was first reported to the police department on July 16 at 9:36 p.m., four hours after she began a 3-mile bike ride to her aunt’s house in nearby San Gabriel.

A roadside camera captured Alison on her blue mountain bike on the 4400 block of Collis Avenue in Los Angeles, five miles from her father’s home in Monterey Park, according to the police department.

She was reported missing, presumably by her father, when she never arrived at the house.

Police launched a city-wide search for the teen, which included volunteers sweeping neighborhoods and handing out missing person flyers while Alison’s mother, Annie, made several tearful pleas for the return of her daughter.

On July 23, the teen was found standing outside the offices of KABC, an ABC affiliate based in Glendale Calif, after she was recognized by a resident who then called authorities.

The Good Samaritan said that Alison had run away from her home to avoid her mother, according to the Los Angeles Times.

She traveled to the news studio to “tell her side of the story.”

The teen’s parents — who separated in March 2023 — are in the midst of a custody battle and Annie Chao was granted sole physical custody of her daughter, on a temporary basis last week, even though Alison had been living with her father, the outlet added.

The decision was made “in Alison’s best interest,” according to attorney Emily Robinson, who was appointed as counsel for Alison by the Superior Court of Los Angeles.

“Based upon my advocacy for Alison, in consultation with her medical professionals, along with evidence presented to the court, which has included testimony from both parents, the judge has made determinations that are solely in Alison’s best interest, including awarding Alison’s mother, Annie Chao, sole decision making authority regarding Alison’s mental health and sole physical custody of her,” Robinson said.

Jeffrey Chao spoke at a press conference the same day her daughter reappeared, thanking friends and the community for finding Alison.

“We’ve been really worried about where she’s been,” the older Chao said according to KNBC. “We really appreciate what everyone’s done and helped out with.”

“She’s a very intelligent person and she’s a godly person with a really good heart,” he added.

Jeffrey Chao was booked for child abduction, conspiracy, and falsifying a police report, but no other information was given.

“The Monterey Park Police Department Investigations Bureau is still currently investigating this incident and has no further comment at this time,” police said Friday.

Jeffrey Chao is being held without bail and is expected to appear in court on Monday, attorney, Jose Romero, told NBC Los Angeles.

—

Father of Monterey Park teen charged with falsely reporting her missing, hiding her

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The father of a 15-year-old girl who went missing for a week in Monterey Park has been charged with falsely reporting her missing and concealing her, the District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.

A felony charge of child stealing/concealment and a misdemeanor count of false report of an emergency were filed against Jeffery Chao, according to the office of DA George Gascón.

Chao, 40, was arrested on Friday, just days after the supposedly missing girl, Alison Chao, turned up outside ABC7 in Glendale after she was spotted by a passing driver.

Chao appeared in court briefly on Tuesday to enter a not-guilty plea. Bail was set at $500,000 and he was expected to be released after posting bond.

The DA’s office says Chao falsely reported his daughter missing on July 16 and concealed her whereabouts as law enforcement and the community mounted an intense search.

The DA says he also “induced others, including a minor, to participate in the commission of the offense of child stealing/concealment.”

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

“Falsely reporting a child as missing not only violates the law but also diverts critical law enforcement resources away from other serious matters,” Gascón said in a written statement. “This type of behavior will not be tolerated, and we will hold the responsible individual accountable for his actions.”

Alison’s parents, Jeffery and Annie Chao, are in the midst of a divorce and child-custody battle, with the mother recently awarded full custody of the teen.

Alison’s mother released a lengthy statement Friday, saying she’s been estranged from Jeffery for more than a year and that he drove a wedge between her and her daughter.

“I believe that Jeff coached Alison to make false accusations against me and he continues to thwart and undermine my relationship with Alison,” read the statement. “Before our separation, I had a close, loving relationship with Alison.”

Eyewitness News also learned Annie Chao filed for a restraining order against Jeffery the day before their daughter went missing and court documents show the next day, a judge gave full custody of Alison to her mother.

Alison’s aunt said last week she believed the girl left her mother’s home because she did not want to live with her mother.

At a press conference after Alison was found outside ABC7, Jeffery Chao thanked the public for their help in the search for Alison.

“I really appreciate everyone coming out,” he said. “I’d really like to thank all the friends, the community that came out and helped find her. We’ve been really worried about where she’s been. And really appreciate what everybody’s done and helped out with.”

—

Father of missing Monterey Park girl charged with child stealing over her disappearance

Jeffrey Chao, the father of a Monterey Park teenager who was missing for nearly a week, was charged Tuesday with child stealing/concealment and falsifying a police report, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office said.

Chao was arrested Friday in connection with the disappearance of his daughter, 15-year-old Alison Chao.

“Falsely reporting a child as missing not only violates the law but also diverts critical law enforcement resources away from other serious matters,” Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a news release. “This type of behavior will not be tolerated, and we will hold the responsible individual accountable for his actions.”

The child stealing/concealment charge against Chao is a felony, while the charge of falsifying a police report is a misdemeanor. Prosecutors also accused Chao of inducing others, including a minor, to help him in the alleged scheme.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Department 30 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Chao allegedly stole and concealed Alison on July 16 and falsely reported her as missing to police. Search parties looked for her until she was found July 23 in Glendale.

Alison disappeared after leaving home on her bicycle to visit a relative, prompting the Monterey Park police to launch a missing-person investigation. She was found safe a week later while attempting to enter the Los Angeles-based KABC-TV office in Glendale, where she reportedly had gone in the hope of telling her version of events.

Jose Romero, an attorney representing Jeffrey Chao, said after the arraignment that the judge granted $500,000 bail for Chao on the condition that he wear a GPS monitoring device. Efforts were underway Tuesday afternoon to get Chao out on bail, he said.

Romero declined to comment on the charges except to say that he planned on fighting them.

Alison is currently under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Romero said.