Anyone with any information on Cecilia Zhong is asked to contact the Toronto Police's 33 Division at (416) 808-3300 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
Dong-Yue Zhang, known as Cecilia Zhang, is a 9-year-old girl currently missing from her Toronto, Ontario, Canada family. She lived in the area of Don Mills Road and Finch Avenue East. Toronto Police Services has requested the assistance of the public and media in regards to locating her.
All photos in this article are of Cecilia.
On the other side of the Toronto area, two phone calls were made to the Zhang home, and have been traced to different Brampton pay phones. These were made just minutes before her parent realized she was missing. Both calls were completely silent when answered.
Neither the Zhangs or police have received ransom demands, and neither party have had any contact whatsoever with the abductors.
Part of the hope for Cecilia's return is a high rate of kidnappings in the Chinese community for profit, higher than in the general population. Such practices are quite common in China, and less so in Chinese communities. Because of this, the Toronto community has kept a rather optimistic outlook, hoping she will be eventually returned unharmed.
On the day Cecilia was taken, a province-wide Amber Alert was issued. Along with notifications running along the bottom of television screens, all highway signs alert motorists about the abduction, providing a description. The alert was called off a day later.
An e-mail message was circulated through a chain of forwarding, to try to raise awareness.
A website, www.ceciliazhang.org was created by the family to provide information on the girl, and to provide an "absolutely untraceable" text box to put forth information. Information relating to the case may also be sent to the family via e-mail, through this address: [1].
Appearance
Zhang is female, Asian, 9 years of age, 4' 11", 70 lbs, a thin build, shoulder length black hair with blonde highlights, and brown eyes. It is unknown what clothing Cecilia was dressed in when kidnapped.Information about Cecilia
Cecilia is a grade 4 student at Seneca Hill Public School. Her parents last saw the child when she went to bed on Sunday night (October 19, 2003). Her disappearance was not noticed until Monday morning shortly before 8:30 am. Known facts about Cecilia's kidnapping
Sometime after 10 pm October 19 and before 8:30 am October 20, 2003, Cecilia Zhang was kidnapped from her family home in North York, an area in the north of Toronto, Ontario. Police presume that the kidnapper(s) entered through the window of her second floor bedroom, as the screen was broken the next morning. Police say there were likely multiple kidnappers involved, discarding their "lone kidnapper" theory.Efforts towards Cecilia's safe return
At the moment, very little information on the case is coming in, and older leads have been exhausted. On November 13, 2003, police confirmed that they have no suspects in the case.Hotlines
Numerous hotlines were set up for reporting information on Cecilia, both in English and in Chinese dialects. Anyone with any information on Cecilia Zhong is asked to contact the Toronto Police's 33 Division at (416) 808-3300 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).Rewards
Two rewards totaling $85,000 are being offered.Awareness campaign
Local stores, businesses, and other locales have posted posters and flyers, with 1700 displayed at bus stops and subway stations alone.America's Most Wanted
A segment about Cecilia ran on America's Most Wanted on November 1, 2003. The day after, thirteen fresh tips were turned over to police; still this didn't give detectives any definitive leads.Toronto Santa Claus Parade
Police encouraged the kidnappers to return Cecilia during this annual event in downtown Toronto. As there is thousands of kids along the parade route, this would be an opportune time for the kidnappers to release Cecilia, without drawing any attention to themselves. Unfortunately, this Christmas wish did not come true for Torontonians.Miscellaneous
Websites have noted the relevance of the opening lyric to Simon and Garfunkel's 1969 hit song Cecilia, which can almost be interpreted under this situation as a plea for her return. However, unlike the girl described in the song, this Cecilia isn't in control of whether to come home or not.
