Riverdale police say ransom note was received for missing foreign exchange student - KSL.com

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RIVERDALE — Riverdale police are searching for a 17-year-old foreign exchange student whose parents in China received a ransom note from what appears to be someone who abducted their son.

Police on Friday issued an endangered missing person advisory for Kai Zhuang, who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. During a press conference Friday afternoon, Riverdale police said they received a report of a kidnapping about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Police said the high school Kai is attending contacted officers after Kai's parents in China notified the school they had received a "photograph of their child that would indicate he was abducted and they requested a ransom." Further details were not given.

Officers responded to the residence of the host family in Riverdale, who were unaware Kai was missing. The host family said they had seen Kai the night before and had heard him in the early hours of Thursday, police said.

Police said no evidence suggests he was forcibly taken from the home. Police said "several investigative efforts are underway" and they are working with the FBI and the U.S. Embassy to locate Kai to get him home safely.

It is unknown what Kai was wearing when he disappeared, but police say he often wears a green jacket. Anyone with information is asked to call Riverdale police at 801-394-6616 or Weber County dispatchers at 801-395-8221.

Riverdale police said they did not issue an Amber Alert for Kai as they don't have an identified suspect yet.

Contributing: Alex Cabrero

Correction: A previous version of this article said the host family last heard Kai early Friday morning. He was last heard early Thursday morning.

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Linda Williams is KSL.com's early morning web producer. She joined KSL.com after many years at KSL TV. Linda graduated with a communications degree from Brigham Young University and now calls Idaho home.

Cassidy Wixom covers Utah County communities and is the evening breaking news reporter for KSL.com.