Missing Chinese student's family to kidnapper: Let her come home

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Missing Chinese student Zhang Yingying's family sat down for an emotional interview with Illinois local media on Thursday, 13 days after Zhang went missing on the campus of University of Illinois.

"To the person who did this, please be kind to her and let her come back," Zhang's aunt delivered the message during an interview with local media WCIA.

Zhang Yingying's father breaks down during an interview with Illinois local media. /Screenshot of The News-Gazette interview

"Ying, be strong, Dad is waiting for you here," Zhang's father said through an interpreter during another interview with The News-Gazette the same day. "I hope that being a good person you will be safe forever."

"We just want our daughter back." The father's further message to the kidnapper shows the devastation and desperation that the family has been put through.

26-year-old Zhang Yingying arrived at the university on April 24 as a visiting scholar in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Her goal was to become a professor in either China or the US.

Zhang is last seen wearing a charcoal-colored baseball hat, a pink-and-white top, jeans, and white tennis shoes. /Police handout

Zhang went missing on June 9. Security footage shows her entering a black Saturn Astra on Goodwin Avenue in Urbana city in Champaign County.

Security footage shows her entering a black Saturn Astra on Goodwin Avenue in Urbana city in Champaign County, on June 9. /FBI Photo

Zhang's father, aunt and boyfriend arrived in the US on June 17, hoping to gain insights from investigators including the university police and FBI, but are so far concerned about the progress of the investigation. Zhang's mother could not come to the US due to her physical and emotional condition.

"What we hoped was to come here to have the opportunity to meet with the police and communicate with the police face to face and hopefully that would give more information, updates," Zhang's boyfriend told The News-Gazette through an interpreter. "Since we arrived here, we haven't received enough updates. We're hoping to learn about the progress of the case."

Jeff Christensen, chief of UIPD, released a statement the day before regarding the progress of the investigation.

"Our concern for Yingying grows with each day that passes and we have personally witnessed the pain this uncertain time has created for her family members, friends and colleagues," Christensen said. "While we cannot share specific details on the investigation in order to maintain its integrity and direction, we continue to make progress in our search, and we will not give up until we find her."

UIPD's update on search for Zhang Yingying/ Screenshot from Twitter

Zhang's family has been working with Champaign County Crime Stoppers to offer a reward of up to 40,000 US dollars for any information that could help find her.

The FBI is also offering a reward of up to 10,000 US dollars for information leading to the location of Zhang.

Meanwhile the search for Zhang Yingying is not stopping, with Chinese communities across the state of Illinois and the whole of the US trying to find her.

Groups like Northwestern Chinese Christian Fellowship based in Evanston, Chicago's suburb in the state of Illinois have been posting flyers of the missing Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying across the US. / Photo from the group's Facebook page

The family said on Thursday they would remain in the US for as long as it takes to find Zhang.

"We all miss you very, very much and we ask Yingying, never ever, ever give up and we will forever find you," reads one message from Zhang's boyfriend, revealing his and her family's determination to find her.

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