Senator: Chinese authorities have released detained U.S. student

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced Sunday that Chinese authorities have released a 25-year-old American college student detained a week ago.

“I am thrilled to report we just received an email from Guthrie McLean’s mother that ‘prayers answered, Guthrie is home,’ ” Daines said in a statement.

McLean was taken into custody by Chinese authorities after allegedly injuring a taxi driver who had gotten into an argument with his mother a week ago, according to The Associated Press.

“After days of working the phones with top Chinese and American officials to secure Guthrie’s freedom from a Chinese detention facility, he has been safely reunited with his mother,” he continued. 

NEW: Sen. Steve Daines announces Chinese authorities have released US college student arrested one week ago https://t.co/yFXr241ACI pic.twitter.com/4Ds6oMqHZ8

— ABC News (@ABC) July 23, 2017

McLean’s mother claimed that the police demanded $7,400 in compensation and said they would imprison her son for three years if she did not pay up.