Foreign exchange student, 17, ‘forcefully taken’ from home in Utah

A search is underway after a teenager from China was ‘forcefully taken’ from his home in Utah.

Officials at the Utah Department of Public Safety said 17-year-old Kai Zhuang, who had been living in the state as part of a high school foreign exchange program with the Chinese, was last seen at around 3:30am on Thursday morning.

On Friday night, Riverdale Police said they had received a picture of the boy together with a demand for a ransom. 

During a press conference, Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren said that Zhuang’s parents, who live in China, contacted his high school. 

17-year-old Kai Zhuang, who had been living in Utah as part of a high school foreign exchange program with the Chinese, was last seen at around 3:30am on Thursday morning

During a press conference on Friday, Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren said that Zhuang’s parents, who live in China,  had received photos of their son that ‘would indicate he was abducted.’ Additionally, the parents said they received a ransom demand

They reported how they had received photos of their son that ‘would indicate he was abducted.’

The parents also claim that the they received a demand for a ransom. 

A Utah Endangered Missing Persons Advisory had earlier been issued after the boy was ‘forcefully taken from his home and held against his will’ from the Riverdale home where he had been staying – about 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City.

But Warren say police now do not believe Zhuang was forcibly taken from the home. 

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His statement contradicted the information shared on the initial missing persons advisory. 

The host family with whom Zhuang had been staying told police that they did not notice him missing and had last seen him the night before, possibly hearing him in the early morning hours. 

Zhuang has been described as being between 5ft 9in and 5ft 10in tall, and weighing 150 pounds. 

The Utah Department of Public Safety said the missing boy also had black hair and brown eyes.  

Riverdale police did not have an accurate description of what the teen had last been wearing however he ‘had been known to wear a green jacket.’

Officials have not offered many further details on the alleged abduction, nor did they say what had led investigators to believe Zhuang had been taken.

It is also still unclear if the incident involved someone known to Zhuang or to his host family.

No information has been provided on a possible suspect. It is also no known if the boy is still believed to be within the local area.

Anyone who has information on Zhuang or his whereabouts is asked to contact Riverdale Police at 801-394-6616.