DENVER — A boy who vanished seven years ago from Atlanta, allegedly taken by his mother who lacked custody, has been found in Colorado following her arrest in an unrelated event, authorities revealed on Wednesday.
Rabia Khalid, 40, was detained on February 23, after deputies from the sheriff’s office were called to a suspected burglary at a vacant home for sale in a Denver suburb, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. At the scene, authorities discovered two children in a vehicle nearby while a man and woman emerged from the house, initially claiming they were employed by a realtor.
Upon further investigation involving their dispatchers, deputies identified the woman as Khalid, who had an active warrant linked to the disappearance of her son, Abdul Aziz Khan, in 2017, when he was just seven years old. The U.S. Marshals Service, which had aided in the search for Khan, noted his disappearance had been profiled on the Netflix series “Unsolved Mysteries.” Khan, now 14, was identified as the older of the two children found in the vehicle.
Khalid and the accompanying man were apprehended facing multiple charges, such as second-degree kidnapping, forgery, and identity theft.
Khalid’s attorney, Kyle Sawyer, commented that he is still in the process of examining the case details but is determined to staunchly defend Khalid.
Both children, including the younger one whose identity remains undisclosed, have been placed under protective custody. The court will decide their future placement, the sheriff’s office stated.
The sheriff’s office conveyed the boy’s family’s request for privacy during this time, though they shared their appreciation in a public statement, saying, “We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found. We want to thank everyone for their support over the last seven years.”
