Kai Zhuang, a Chinese exchange student in the United States, was found frozen to death but alive a week after his parents were extorted tens of thousands of dollars in a “cyber kidnapping” scam. The 17-year-old was found in a tent in rural Utah, Riverdale police said in a statement.
The 17-year-old is believed to have isolated himself after being manipulated by his kidnappers. The parents were then forced to pay approximately $80,000 in ransom.
Zhuang is one of several foreign students targeted by so-called cyber-kidnappers in the United States in recent times, Riverdale police added.
Cyber kidnapping, this is where the Chinese teenager was found in the USA
Police believe Kai was being controlled by kidnappers as early as Dec. 20, when he was spotted by officers in Provo, Utah, carrying camping gear. At the time, officers arranged for him to be returned to Riverdale – where he was living with a host family – out of fear for his safety, however, he did not mention any threats.
On December 28, police were contacted by the school he attended, who had been notified by his parents in China. Kai's family said they received a ransom note and a photo of her son indicating that she had been kidnapped.
According to police, victims of cyber kidnapping are persuaded to isolate themselves and even take photos to appear to be held captive, even though the kidnappers are not present, and are monitored via Facetime or Skype. In these cases, the family members are convinced together with the kidnapping victim that he will be harmed if they do not give in to blackmail.
Although the kidnappers were not with Kai, Utah police still feared for his safety, explaining that the state's December temperatures posed the risk that he could “freeze to death during the night.”
Kai was found Sunday about 25 miles north of Riverdale, near Brigham City, in a tent “with no heat source.” He had limited food and water, a thermal blanket and a sleeping bag, as well as several phones that police suspect were used in the kidnapping. After his rescue, Kai – who was being checked for hypothermia – asked for a “hot cheeseburger” and to talk to his family about him.
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