How abducted boy, 7, who appeared on Netflix's Unsolved Mysterious, was found seven years after disappearing
Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Netflix
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Netflix
A deputy has revealed how authorities discovered and identified a boy who'd been missing for seven years.
In 2017 shortly after Thanksgiving, Abdul Aziz Khan, aged seven, vanished from his home in Atlanta, Georgia.
Missing for over seven years, his story ended up the subject of an episode of Netflix documentary series Unsolved Mysteries. However, Khan was miraculously discovered on February 23 earlier this year - now aged 14.
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A homeowner of a house for sale in Highlands Ranch in Denver, Colorado notified authorities to a possible break-in and two Douglas County deputies responded to the call.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly told the Mail Online the two deputies arrived at the house to find 'two kids in the driveway'.
The deputies 'made contact with the kids' and 'asked them what was going on' and one explained 'his parents were with the realtor or something like that'.
"The kid called inside to mom with a cell phone, and the two adults came out," Sheriff Weekly added.
However, as the deputies began speaking with the two adults, they began to grow suspicious.
Sheriff Weekly reveals the deputies felt like they 'were being lied to - that these people were not being straight with them, not only about why they were there but who they were'.
The woman told the officials she'd never had an identification card and then when the deputies checked her fingerprints they realised the woman 'had a warrant her arrest for kidnapping'.
The duo were identified as Elliot Blake Bourgeois and Rabia Khalid, and the kid who had spoken to the deputies was 'later identified as Aziz' - with Rabia being his non-custodial mom.
Sheriff Weekly continued: "[The pair] were subsequently arrested for kidnapping, fraud and then just a myriad of other charges - fraud, identity theft, providing false information to authorities and trespassing, as well."
The sheriff noted Khan was 'healthy' and there were 'no concerns' with how he'd been brought up, but reflected the 'reunification process' between the now-teenager and his father Dr Abdul Kahn is 'going to take some time'.
However, Sheriff Weekly resolved: "There’s just an immense sense of pride that we were able to bring this seven-year-long mystery to a close and to start the process of reunification with Aziz and his dad, though that is going to be a process – they’re not together; that’s going to be slow."
Via the sheriff's office, Khan's family released a statement which reads: "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."
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing and a preliminary hearing is currently set for March 27.
UNILAD has contacted Douglas County Sheriff's Office for comment.