ABDUCTED BOY WHO FEATURED IN NETFLIX SERIES, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, FOUND SEVEN YEARS LATER
Amazingly, a seven-year-old boy whose kidnapping case was featured on a Netflix true crime show has been located. A mysterious 'cold case' was developing when Abdul Aziz Khan was abducted in Atlanta, Georgia, shortly after Thanksgiving in 2017. In its documentary series Unsolved Mysteries, Netflix, a streaming service, brought the story to life. To spark public interest and assist in solving some tragic cases, the show features signposts after each episode where viewers can submit tips.
In Abdul's case, it was believed that his mother, Rabia Khalid, had taken him after the courts had given his father full custody. In a happy accident, the child was eventually located 1,500 miles away in Colorado. The missing child was discovered by police after they were called to a home burglary, according to The Mirror. After claiming to have spotted two intruders on the CCTV footage of the house that was for sale on February 23, the homeowner called the police.
When the two adults allegedly broke into the property, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office hurried to the scene and found two children in the back of a car parked in the driveway. They spoke with the children. After being taken into custody at the scene, the two were identified as Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42, and Rabia Khalid, 40, the mother of the now-14-year-old who went missing.
When the two adults allegedly broke into the property, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office hurried to the scene and found two children in the back of a car parked in the driveway. They spoke with the children. After being taken into custody at the scene, the two were identified as Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42, and Rabia Khalid, 40, the mother of the now-14-year-old who went missing. Charges against Khalid and Bourgeois include identity theft, forgery, second-degree kidnapping, giving false information to authorities, and trespassing.
According to the news source, a $1,000,000 bond has been set for their release. The child is in protective custody, and it is unknown who the other child is who was discovered in the car with him is. The boy's family said in a statement that they were "overwhelmed with joy" to have located him once more.
The statement read: "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."
"Our deputies responded to what at first glance appeared to be a routine trespass call, but through keen attention to detail and tenacity, they uncovered the truth," Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly continued. "A child who had been missing for seven long years was safely recovered as a result of their ability to identify the inconsistencies in the suspects' story and to follow the leads, even when the situation seemed unclear." Additionally, NCMEC, Crimestoppers, and Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries were commended by US Marshal Enix Smith III for the Eastern District of Louisiana for "directing the public's attention to this matter."