State News

Family Of Yingying Zhang Awaits 2018 Trial Of Accused Kidnapper

WCBU | By Jim Meadows

Published December 28, 2017 at 6:35 AM CST

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Visiting scholar Yingying Zhang of China came to the U of I Urbana campus in April, 2017. She hasn't been seen since July and is presumed dead.

University of Illinois Police

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Mug shot of Brendt Christensen, 28, of Champaign, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 12, on kidnapping charged, in connection with the June 9 disappearance of University of Illinois visiting scholar Yingying Zhang of China.

WILL / Macon County Jail

The family of Yingying Zhang is hoping that 2018 will be the year they get answers about her disappearance. That’s when Brendt Christensen, the man accused of kidnapping and causing the death of the young visiting scholar from China, is to go on trial.

Prosecutors say Yingying Zhang was last seen on surveillance video, getting into Brendt Christensen’s vehicle on June 9^th at a bus stop on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. Authorities believe Yingying is dead. But her family traveled to the U-S with hope she might still be alive. Back in July, Yingying’s boyfriend Xiaolin Hou spoke of Yingying in the present tense.

“Yingying is our pride and joy. She is smart, hardworking, brave and kind.” Hou said.

Yingying Zhang’s family returned to China in November, but are expected to come back for Christensen’s trial, set for February 27th. Prosecutors have not yet said if they will seek the death penalty.

For more information, you can read Jim Meadows' full story here.