CASE BREAKTHROUGH
Missing boy Abdul Aziz Khan who featured on Netflix doc is found after seven years as kidnapper makes brazen misstep
Boy, 14, found in dramatic twist to abduction mystery
POLICE have finally found a 14-year-old boy whose seven-year-long disappearance made national headlines and appeared on Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries.
Missing boy Abdul Aziz Khan was found in the backseat of a car after cops responded to a burglary in progress.
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Aziz first went missing from his home in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 27, 2017.
Law enforcement believed his mother, Rabia Khalid, was the one who kidnapped the young child, taking him as she fled the state with her husband, Elliot Blake Bourgeois.
Khalid failed to show up for her custody hearing that day in Atlanta, leading the US Marshals Service to issue a warrant for her arrest.
Authorities reported that the mother allegedly pulled Aziz out of elementary school the Friday before Thanksgiving.
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As revealed in Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries, Khalid and her husband abandoned the Atlanta apartment they owned around the same time. They haven't been seen in public until now.
On February 23, 2025, police responded to a Colorado homeowner who reported suspicious activity they saw on their vacant home's security camera, local Fox affiliate reported.
When police arrived at the active burglary, they noticed two children sitting in a car parked in the driveway as the two suspects exited the home.
The suspects claimed they worked with the realtor selling the home, but the sheriff's office said the officers noticed differences in the two trespassers' stories.
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After four hours of questioning, the deputies identified the suspects as Khalid, 40, and Bourgeois, 42.
Aziz was identified as one of the car's passengers, but officials have not released the identity of the second child.
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Both children were taken into protective custody and are awaiting the court's decision on who they should be released to.
"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," Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly told KDVR.
"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."
Khalid and Bourgeois are being held on a bond of $1 million each and were charged with second-degree kidnapping, forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities, and trespassing.
Since Khalid is Aziz's mother, she is being charged with a conspiracy to kidnap, as the law states you cannot kidnap your own child. The mother is still facing nine total charges, seven of which are felonies.
Bourgeois is being charged with kidnapping, totaling 14 offenses, 12 of which are felonies.
Officials said March 27, 2025, will be the preliminary hearing for both adults.
During a press conference, law enforcement officials said they had "a lot of work" ahead of them, but they applauded the hard work of the deputies who responded to the call.
Investigators are asking anyone with information on where Khalid and Bourgeois have been for the past seven years to contact them immediately.
Aziz's family released a statement following his return, saying they were "overwhelmed with joy" and thanked everyone for their help.
"We specifically want to recognize the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for their exceptional work in solving this case," the statement said.
"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 celebrated Aziz's return and the deputies' "keen instincts."
"In family abduction cases, it can be difficult to garner public attention, but we knew that national media coverage was crucial—Aziz could have been anywhere," said John Bischoff III, vice president of the Missing Children Division, NCMEC.
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"Thanks to the deputies’ keen instincts and the attention of both law enforcement and the public, Aziz is now safe. We know family reunifications can be challenging. As Aziz and his family reconnect and heal, NCMEC will continue to support them."
Those with more information are asked to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
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