DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (TCN) — A trespassing incident in a Denver suburb ultimately led to the apprehension of a woman wanted for allegedly kidnapping her 7-year-old noncustodial son in 2017.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday, March 5, that Abdul “Aziz” Khan was found “thanks to the sharp instincts and diligent work of Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies responding to a trespass call.”
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Khan’s parents split up in 2014. His mother, Rabia Khalid, moved to Atlanta from New Orleans for a job. His father said he would travel to Atlanta every other weekend to see his son as often as possible. The estranged couple reportedly fought over custody, and there was a chance Khalid would lose custody of her son. On Nov. 27, 2017, Khalid failed to show up at a custody hearing in Atlanta. Law enforcement said Khalid and her husband, Elliot Bourgeois, left town, taking Khan with them.
Prosecutors issued a warrant for her arrest on a charge of felony kidnapping.
The three remained elusive until Feb. 23, when Douglas County deputies received a call about a burglary in progress at a vacant home in Highlands Ranch. The property was reportedly listed for sale, but the homeowner “observed suspicious activity” and contacted law enforcement.
Deputies went to the scene and saw two children in a car parked in the driveway. A man and a woman who claimed to be “associated with a Realtor” exited the house. The sheriff’s office said their “story began to unravel” once deputies “worked for four hours to verify their identities.”
Officials ultimately managed to identify the woman as Khalid and the 14-year-old child in the car as Khan. Khalid and Bourgeois were arrested on charges of second-degree kidnapping, forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities, and trespassing. They are both being held on $1 million bond.
Khan and his sibling have been placed into protective custody.
Khan’s family said in a statement shared by the 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.”
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly shared, “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.”