A young boy who was abducted seven years ago has been found safe and well after his story featured on a Netflix documentary.
Abdul Aziz Khan, 14, was kidnapped in 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia, with authorities in Colorado now saying they had found him safe late last month.
On February 23, officers from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary at a residence. Upon arrival, they discovered two children inside a car parked in the driveway.
Two individuals had allegedly entered the home, with the homeowner dialing 911 after spotting them on surveillance cameras.
Upon further investigation, deputies approached the children and noticed a man and a woman leaving the property. The couple claimed they were linked to a real estate agent.
Officials say that’s when their story began to unravel, with deputies spending four hours to verify their identities.
The sheriff’s office said the pair were later identified as Rabia Khalid, 40, and Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42.
Abdul Aziz Khan, a 14-year-old who was allegedly abducted in Atlanta, Georgia, back in 2017, was recently located safe in Colorado, according to authorities.
Officers with Douglas County Sheriff’s Office were called to a home to investigate a reported burglary on February 23, they found two children in a car in the driveway
They then identified one of the children in the vehicle as being Khan, and that Khalid was his custodial-mother and had been wanted for kidnapping her son.
Khalid had an active warrant for her arrest, with officials charging her with felony kidnapping.
Both Khalid and Bourgeois 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.
Officials said in a release that their bond was set at $1,000,000 each.
Khan was taken into protective custody, with the identity of the younger child not being released.
In a statement, his family 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.’
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children released the above age-progression pic of the youngster in hopes of finding him
The sheriff’s office said the pair were later identified as Rabia Khalid, left, and Elliot Blake Bourgeois, right
The youngster is seen here with his father Abdul
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said: ‘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.’
The US Marshals Office said that Khalid failed to show up for a custody hearing in Atlanta, Georgia in November 2017.
They say she packed her belongings and fled with her son and new husband, who they identified as Bourgeois.
The abduction came about after a custody dispute that ran for years between the boys father Abdul and Khalid.
The case had also been featured as part of Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ show, with the Marshals Office thanking the show for raising awareness of the case
According to Missing Kids, the couple separated in 2014 and Khalid moved her son from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Atlanta, Georgia.
Abdul had previously said that Khalid had made it difficult for the boys mother to let him see the youngster.
According to the Marshals Office, it became clear that Khalid was set to lose custody of her son, causing her to flee with the child.
The case had also been featured as part of Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ show, with the Marshals Office thanking them.
U.S. Marshal Enix Smith III for the Eastern District of Louisiana said in a statement: ‘This significant development follows a lengthy seven-year search.
‘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 Crimestoppers GNO for directing the public’s attention to this matter.’
