Police find human remains while searching for missing woman in Kawartha Lakes area

York Regional Police confirm they’ve discovered human remains while searching for a woman they believe was kidnapped in Markham.

Members of the Homicide Unit and Search and Rescue team were searching for Ying Zhang in the Village of Kirkfield in Kawartha Lakes when they discovered the remains in the area of Palestine Road and Fenel Road on Monday, July 29 at around 5 p.m.

The remains have not yet been positively identified by the coroner.

Zhang, 57, was last seen at a wellness centre near Woodbine Avenue and Steel Case Road around 10:40 a.m. on July 25.

Investigators said a white Ford van was seen in the area and a suspect was spotted with a green garbage bin near the van at the time of her disappearance.

Zhang’s family contacted police after she failed to return home from work that day.

On Saturday, police arrested Changlin Yang, 26, of East Gwillimbury. He’s facing charges of kidnapping, forcible confinement and aggravated assault.

“We are still working to determine if they were known to each other or if there was any relationship between the two,” said Const. James Dickson at a Monday afternoon conference.

“There was physical evidence at the scene to suggest that (she) was injured,” said Const. Dickson.

“At this time, we don’t know if she is alive or not.”

On Monday, police released images of the suspect, the suspect vehicle, and the type of bin spotted in the area of her alleged kidnapping.

Investigators say they believe the suspect may have travelled to Kirkfield in Kawartha Lakes on the afternoon of July 25 in the vehicle — a white Ford van with an Ontario licence plate of BZ43851 — prompting the search in that area.