Ming Kuang Chen, 32, a food deliveryman, trapped in an elevator for nearly four days was found and rescued. Chen disappeared after delivering a $15 dinner of shrimp and fried rice to an apartment at Tracey Towers in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx, New York.
Police had searched the massive complex's 871 apartments with bloodhounds, but turned up nothing.
Local newspapers quoted unnamed law enforcement sources saying that Chen had been smuggled into this country for $60,000, and may have been kidnapped for failing to repay the debt.
Now Chen himself and members of the community want to know why police failed to discover him. They also want to know why his illegal immigration status was apparently leaked.
Finally, after 80 hours, someone heard his cries and Chen was rescued by firefighters.(Source: Heather Harlan, AsianWeek, Apr. 22, 1005; AP contributed to this story)