The mystery surrounding Abdul Aziz Khan, a 14-year-old boy featured in a 2022 episode of Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries, has finally been resolved. Khan, who went missing from Atlanta in 2017, was discovered safe in the Denver area in February 2023. His case came to light after the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to a trespass call in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Authorities found Khan with two adults, Rabia Khalid and Elliot Blake Bourgeois, who were subsequently arrested. Khalid, Khan's non-custodial parent, had an active warrant for allegedly kidnapping her son. However, she is not being charged with kidnapping due to legal nuances. District Attorney George Brauchler explained, "one of the nuances of the law is that you cannot kidnap your own child." Bourgeois is facing multiple charges, including forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities, and trespassing.
Following their arrest, Khan and a younger child were taken into protective custody. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has received recognition for their role in solving this high-profile case. U.S. Marshal Enix Smith III expressed gratitude to Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries for bringing public attention to the matter.
Khan's family expressed immense relief and happiness at the news of his discovery.
"We're overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found," said Aziz's family.
The family acknowledged that reintegrating Khan into their lives would require time and patience.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly remarked on the emotional reunion, stating, "This is the only life Aziz has known, and so it is going to take some time to get to that point. What I will tell you is there wasn’t a dry eye in the room."
The case also highlighted another success story involving a child featured on Unsolved Mysteries. Kayla Unbehaun, who was abducted by her mother in 2017 at the age of nine, was recognized by a storeowner in Asheville, North Carolina. She was reunited with her family in 2023, seven years after her disappearance.
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