A teenager allegedly abducted by his mother in Atlanta seven years ago was found alive in Colorado after a woman later determined to be his mother was spotted breaking into a house south of Denver, authorities said Wednesday.
Douglas County sheriff’s deputies found Abdul Aziz Khan, 14, in a car outside the Highlands Ranch home on Feb. 23 after federal authorities spent five years unsuccessfully searching for him across 11 states, said Kirk Taylor, U.S. Marshal of Colorado.
The case, he told reporters Wednesday, “really had gone cold.”
Rabia Khalid, 40, and Elliot Bourgeois, 42, were arrested after the property owner saw them entering the house, which was vacant and listed for sale, through a security camera and reported a trespasser, Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly told reporters.
Khalid and Bourgeois told responding deputies that they were associated with a realtor, but authorities eventually learned Khalid’s real identity, Weekly said, and they discovered a warrant for her arrest in Louisiana on a kidnapping charge.
Khalid was charged with conspiracy to kidnap and several other crimes, 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler told reporters. Bourgeois was also charged with a dozen felony crimes, including kidnapping, Brauchler said. Both are being held on $1 million bond.
The nature of their relationship is unclear, Weekly said.
The public defender’s office representing Khalid did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear if Bourgeois was represented by the same office.
Abdul was kidnapped after a custody dispute that included criminal allegations against the boy’s father, he told reporters.
Those allegations were dismissed, and Abdul was abducted when it appeared the father would get custody, Weekly said.
Weekly said it was unclear if Abdul knows he was kidnapped. When deputies approached him, the sheriff said, he immediately called Khalid and Bourgeois and appeared to have been coached on what to say to law enforcement.
Abdul and a second child in the vehicle whose identity was not disclosed both appeared healthy, Weekly said. Both were taken into protective custody, he said.
The sheriff described Abdul’s reunification with his family as a “transition” and said the process was ongoing.
In a statement released by the sheriff’s office, the family said they were overwhelmed that Abdul had been found and thankful for all the support they’ve received over the last seven years.
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