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Police in Utah are asking for the public's help in locating Kai Zhuang, a 17-year-old foreign exchange student. According to USA Today, the teen was last seen at his host family's house on Wednesday in Riverdale Utah. Meanwhile, the police have stated that they have reasons to believe that Kai may have been abducted on Thursday, December 28, 2023. Zhuang's parents, who are in China, raised concerns after receiving a ransom note and his picture on Friday, December 29, 2023.
Shortly after, the Riverdale police were notified of the possible abduction and they issued a missing endangered advisory early Friday morning. As police continue to investigate the case they have yet to identify a suspect in the case.
The Utah Department of Public Safety noted that Kai Zhuang is an Asian high school foreign exchange student from China. His host family last saw him at around 3:30 pm local time on Thursday, in Riverdale, which is around 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.
What we know about Kai Zhuang's disappearance as search for the missing exchange student intensifies
Utah Police have urged anyone with information about Kai Zhuang’s whereabouts to reach out to authorities. Kai Zhuang has been described as an Asian teen who is 5'10" and weighs 170 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes and was living with his host family in Riverdale when he vanished without a trace.
Early Friday morning, police issued an endangered missing advisory for Zhuang, believing he may have been forcefully taken from his home. They believe he is being held against his will after his parents in China told his school they received a photo of their son with a ransom note.
However, KSL TV, citing a press conference held on Friday, reported investigators found no evidence to suggest Kai was forcibly taken from Riverdale.
According to the publication when police spoke to the host family, they were told they did not notice Zhuang was missing. They also noted they had last seen him the previous night and may have heard him in the morning.
Police call Kai Zhuang's disappearance a "complex case"
Riverdale police Chief Casey Warren told reporters on Friday that he couldn't put out an Amber Alert for Zhuang as they have yet to identify a suspect in the case. Warren added that they did try to put out an Amber Alert for Kai but "due to the circumstances" they were unable to do so.
He clarified that under the system, a suspect has to be identified to list an Amber Alert, adding that the information they had was "very limited." Warren, who described Zhuang’s disappearance as a “complex case,” did not disclose additional information, citing an active investigation.
Anyone with information about the suspected abduction was asked to call Riverdale police at 801-394-6616 or Weber County dispatch at 801-395-8221.
