"We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found."
A boy abducted seven years ago has been found safe and this is partially due to his case being documented in Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries.
Abdul Aziz Khan was kidnapped in 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. Authorities in Colorado confirmed they found him in late February 2025.
Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary on February 23.
Arriving at the scene, they found two children sitting in a car in the driveway. Surveillance footage showed two people had entered the home, prompting the homeowner to call 911.
Officers made contact with the children before spotting a man and woman exiting the house. The pair claimed they were with a realtor.
Officials said their story quickly fell apart. Deputies spent four hours verifying their identities.
The two were later identified as Rabia Khalid and Elliot Blake Bourgeois.
One of the children in the vehicle was Abdul Aziz Khan.
Authorities confirmed Khalid was his custodial mother and had been wanted for kidnapping her son.
Khalid had an active warrant for felony kidnapping.
Both she 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.
Their bond was set at $1,000,000 each. Khan was taken into protective custody. Officials did not release details about the second child.
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 recognise 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 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 recognise 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 Khalid failed to appear for a custody hearing in Atlanta in November 2017.
She then fled with her son and her new husband, identified as Bourgeois.
The abduction followed a long custody dispute between the boy’s father, Abdul, and Khalid.
According to Missing Kids, the couple separated in 2014. Khalid moved their son from New Orleans to Atlanta.
Abdul previously claimed Khalid made it difficult for him to see his child. Authorities said she fled when it became clear she would lose custody.
The case featured on Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries. The Marshals Office credited the show for helping raise awareness.
US Marshal Enix Smith III said: “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.”
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