York Regional Police have charged a 16-year-old international student from China after he allegedly staged his own kidnapping in an effort to get attention and money from his parents.

Officers were called to a residence on Huntington Park Drive in Markham shortly after midnight on Sept. 27 after a report of a kidnapping, a news release said.

They were contacted by a guardian of the 16-year-old, Const. Andy Pattenden said.

The officers were shown a video of the teen, who recently arrived from China. The video showed the student bound, gagged and wearing a blindfold.

The video was sent to his parents in China via a social media application and had an accompanying text message demanding that his parents pay $1 million for his release.

After an investigation, the student was found at a McDonald’s in Richmond Hill, in Valleymade Road and Highway 7 area.

He was arrested and charged with one count of public mischief.

He has been released and is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 31, Const. Andy Pattenden said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police #2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423 (Ext. 7241) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips.

Abhya Adlakha is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @AbhyaAdlakha

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