Boy missing for 7 years found in Colorado, mom arrested and facing kidnapping charges
After he was first reported missing from Atlanta seven years ago, Abdul Aziz Khan has been found more than 1,400 miles away in the Denver metro area. Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office made the announcement on Wednesday, more than a week after they began their investigation on Feb. 23.
According to the sheriff's office, Aziz was located during a trespass call about 3:37 p.m. Feb. 23. Deputies were dispatched to a home on Kelliwood Way in Highlands Ranch to investigate a burglary in progress. According to investigators, two people allegedly illegally entered the property that was vacant and listed for sale.
The Colorado homeowner was monitoring security cameras and called authorities after noticing suspicious activity. When deputies arrived, they made contact with two children in a vehicle that was parked in the driveway. That's when, according to deputies, a male and female exited the home and claimed to be associated with a realtor. But investigators said their story began to unravel as deputies worked to verify their identities.
"What's so great about this is our deputies and our dispatchers, they knew something wasn't right," said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly. "They were following their gut and they investigated further, they just didn't take it on face value and take the easy way out and move on. They dug and dug for about five hours until they could figure out what was going on."
Deputies said the female was finally identified as Rabia Khalid, 40, who had an active warrant for kidnapping. Investigators said further research verified the older child in the car was the victim of the kidnapping and is currently 14 years old.
According to investigators, on Nov. 27, 2017, Khalid, as a non-custodial parent, allegedly abducted her son Aziz from Atlanta, Georgia. At the time, Khalid was charged with felony kidnapping and a warrant was issued for her arrest. The U.S. Marshals Service became involved in the investigation at that time.
Khalid and Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42, were arrested and booked into the Douglas County Jail on charges including second-degree kidnapping, forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities and trespassing. Bond has been set at $1 million each.
Both children were taken into protective custody. Deputies said the identity of the younger child is not being released and decisions about where the children will be placed will be made by the courts.
Aziz, however, will begin a long process of reuniting with his father, who told law enforcement he hasn't seen his son in close to nine years.
"This is the only life Aziz has known, and so it is going to take some time to get to that point," said Sheriff Weekly, who met with the family Tuesday. "What I will tell you is there wasn't a dry eye in the room."
The family of Aziz released this statement via the Douglas County Sheriff's Office: 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 initially seemed like a routine trespass call, but through sharp attention to detail and tenacity, they uncovered the truth. 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. I couldn't be prouder of the work done by our team; this case highlights the commitment of our officers to seek justice and protect the most vulnerable. It's a reminder of the incredible difference our work makes in the lives of those we serve," said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly in a statement.