In an effort to spark public interest and assist in solving certain tragic instances, the show features signposts at the conclusion of each episode where viewers can submit tips.
Source: Freepik
In Abdul’s case, it was believed that his mother, Rabia Khalid, had taken him after the courts had given his father full custody.
In a fortuitous accident, the child was eventually located 1,500 miles away in Colorado.
The missing child was discovered by police when they were called to a home burglary, according to The Mirror.
After claiming to have spotted two intruders on the CCTV footage of the house that was for sale on February 23, the homeowner called the police.
When the two adults reportedly broke into the residence, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office hurried to the site and found two children in the back of a car parked in the driveway. They spoke with the children.
After being taken into custody at the scene, the two were identified as Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42, and Rabia Khalid, 40, the mother of the now-14-year-old who went missing.
Charges against Khalid and Bourgeois include identity theft, forgery, second-degree kidnapping, giving false information to authorities, and trespassing.
According to the news source, a $1,000,000 bond has been issued for their release.
The child is in protective custody, and it is unknown who the other child that was discovered in the car with him is.
‘Overwhelmed with excitement’ to have found him again, the boy’s relatives stated in a statement.
The statement read: “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 added: “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.”
For ‘directing the public’s attention to this situation,’ US Marshal Enix Smith III for the Eastern District of Louisiana also thanked NCMEC, Crimestoppers, and Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries.
