A young boy who was featured in Netflix’s documentary series Unsolved Mysteries has been found safe, seven years after getting abducted.
Abdul Aziz Khan was only five years old when he was kidnapped in Atlanta, Georgia by his mother and non-custodial parent Rabia Khalid amidst a years-long custody suit with his father, as reported by Douglas County authorities.
And his unexpected discovery was completely based on luck.
Abdul Aziz Khan disappeared seven years ago and was found safe in late February by authorities
1,500 miles away from Colorado, police officers were alerted to a burglary on February 23. The unidentified owner of the vacant Highlands Ranch house had seen two intruders on their security cameras before dialing 911.
When authorities arrived, they found two children in the back of a car that was parked in the driveway. The identity of the younger child has not yet been disclosed, but the older of the two was none other than Aziz.
The two adults, Khalid and Elliot Blake Bourgeois, were arrested subsequently, even after claiming they were associated with the realtor of the home.
They were booked into the Douglas County Jail on charges that included second degree kidnapping, forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities, and trespassing.
Their bond was set at $1,000,000 each, said officials in a press release.
“Our deputies responded to what initially seemed like a routine trespass call, but through sharp attention to detail and tenacity, they uncovered the truth,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.
“Their ability to recognize the discrepancies in the suspects’ story and to follow the leads, even when the situation seemed unclear, ultimately led to the safe recovery of a child who had been missing for seven long years.”
And Aziz’s reunion with the rest of his family was nothing less than miraculous.
Authorities had initially responded to a burgulary call
In a statement, they said, “We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found. We want to thank everyone for their support over the last seven years. We specifically want to recognize the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for their exceptional work in solving this case.
“Now, as we navigate the next steps, we ask for privacy so that we can move forward as a family and heal together.”
Khalid and Aziz’s father Abdul first separated in 2014, according to Missing Kids, where the former moved from New Orleans, Louisiana to Atlanta, Georgia, taking her son with her.
Khalid reportedly made visits difficult, and it is believed she took Aziz and fled in an act of panic after convincing herself she would lose custody of her child.
Suspicions then arose when Khalid failed to show up for a custody hearing in November of 2017.
Now that the case has been solved, it appears Netflix’s publicization did a lot of good in the long run.
“This significant development follows a lengthy seven-year search,” said U.S. Marshal Enix Smith III for the Eastern District of Louisiana in a statement.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to all involved in the recovery effort, especially the authorities in Douglas County, Colorado for their swift and effective actions.
“Also, we would like to thank NCMEC, Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries, and Crimestopped GNO for directing the public’s attention to this matter.”
A dispute battle between Aziz’s father and mother was what kick-started his abduction
