Police probe after missing woman found after 13 years
An engineering graduate who vanished 13 years ago after being diagnosed with schizophrenia has been found in a remote village in north China's Shanxi Province. She's now the mother of two children.
Police in north China's Shanxi Province have launched a criminal investigation into her disappearance and the man accused of exploiting her vulnerability.
Bu, born in 1979, earned her master's degree in engineering in 2008. However, her plans to pursue a doctoral program were interrupted when she failed to renew her second-generation ID card on time. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and underwent multiple treatments between 2008 and 2011.
On May 26, 2011, Bu disappeared from her home in Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. Despite extensive searches by her family and police reports, her whereabouts remained unknown for over a decade.
Bu's master's degree certificate.
On November 25, a woman in Heshun County, Jinzhong City, sought help from volunteers to find her aunt's relatives. With the assistance of volunteers and the police, her aunt was finally reunited with her family and confirmed to be Bu.
According to local police, in August 2011, Bu was found wandering near Qingcheng Town in Heshun County, showing signs of mental instability. A villager surnamed Guo noticed her unusual behavior, and days later, she was taken to the home of Zhang, a 46-year-old male villager. Over the years, Bu gave birth to a son and a daughter with Zhang.
The circumstances surrounding Bu's situation have sparked a public outcry. Questions about her ability to provide consent, the nature of her relationship with Zhang, and possible criminal acts have dominated online discussions.
Bu is reunited with her family and her father puts her student-era glasses on her.
Police confirmed that Zhang was aware of Bu's mental condition when he fathered her children, an act suspected to be criminal. He has since been placed under criminal compulsory measures.
Through interviews with villagers, the police learned that between July and August 2011, Bu stayed alone in Shidie Village and surrounding areas in Qingcheng Town, showing signs of mental abnormality.
It was also revealed that Bu displayed clear symptoms of mental illness during her time in Shidie Village but often moved about freely, purchasing snacks from local shops. To date, no evidence of abduction or illegal detention has been uncovered, though investigations are ongoing.
In response to public concern, the local Women's Federation has also intervened. Meanwhile, Bu has been sent to a hospital in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, for medical treatment.
