INDEPTH: CECILIA ZHANG
Statements from Cecilia's parents
CBC News Online | May 9, 2006
Cecilia Zhang
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On July 22, 2004, Peel police charged a 21-year-old male student from China with first-degree murder in the case of Cecilia Zhang, the nine-year-old girl who disappeared last October from her parents' Toronto home. One other person was arrested in relation to the case, but isn't facing any charges.
Raymond Zhang and Sherry Xu, the parents of nine-year-old Cecilia Zhang, released this statement after police announced they arrested two people.
Zhang family statement after Min Chen is arrested
"We welcome the major step forward in the investigation of the loss of our daughter, Cecilia Zhang. We would like first and foremost to thank the Peel Regional Police, especially homicide squad, and the Toronto Police Service for their professionalism and their dilligent pursuit of justice.
Sherry Xu and Raymond Zhang, Oct. 24, 2003
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Nothing can bring Cecilia back, but we believe that this development and the judicial process ahead will bring a sense of closure that will help us move forward.
Most important, we thank the public, not just our neighbours and friends and our community, but people from all around the world for their support and for their respect shown to the memory of Cecilia.
We have been overwhelmed by the expressions of sympathy and caring, by the generous donations to the Cecilia Zhang memorial fund.
Over $50,000 has been raised charities in her honour, from gifts for the Toronto Zoo to books to schools.
These gifts reflect Cecilia's own desire for a joyous, loving and peaceful world. Her short life had meaning and we are grateful that so many have joined us in treasuring that meaning.
This will be our only statement at this time, and we ask the media and the public to respect our privacy.
We appreciate the interest and concern that has been expressed."
Zhang family statement after Min Chen pleaded guilty
Cecilia went missing from our North York home on October 20th, 2003. Since then, we have experienced a sense of loss that cannot be explained in understandable terms.
2½ years have passed and each single day has been extremely difficult. The fact that there is now a guilty plea by the person accused in this case brings some sense of closure for us, but no act will ever bring our dear daughter Cecilia back to us. It does, however, assist us in moving toward the next stage of our life.
There are many people we wish to thank and recognize. People who helped and comforted us in the beginning, when Cecilia first went missing, the officers from the Toronto Police Service, who searched for her, the members of the community, our friends, family, neighbours, Cecilia's school, our church, my employer and our lawyers who rallied around us and offered support, people who we never met before but became our friends after the tragedy, constantly gave us support and constantly inspired us to go on.
We are eternally grateful to the Peel Regional Police, who with the Toronto police and the Crown Attorney's Office, worked tirelessly to find the truth, solve this crime and bring the person responsible to justice.
Each person involved, in their own way, both professionally and personally, helped us through some very trying times. The days continue to be difficult but we hope that we may now move forward in our lives.
We would also like to thank the media for their help in the search for Cecilia, and their understanding with respect to our privacy. We ask that our privacy be respected again at this time.
We are unable to be here today as this has been a very painful process.
In the end, it is our heartfelt wish that every family will live in peace.
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