A seven-year-old kidnapping case from Georgia came to a surprising close in Douglas County, with the safe recovery of the child and the apprehension of two suspects linked to the crime. The kidnapped child, 14, had been missing since the tender age of 7. His alleged abduction took place at a time where his mother, Rabia Khalid (40), did not hold full custody rights. It is believed that she initiated the abduction due to fears of her child’s father gaining full custody.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reported that the child was discovered safely inside a house located on Kelliwood Way, Highlands Ranch, Colorado. His discovery came about in an unexpected manner on February 23, during an investigation into a reported burglary at the property, which was vacant and on the market. Informed of the break-in by the homeowner via his security surveillance system, deputies arrived at the scene to confront Khalid and another individual, 42-year-old Elliot Blake Bourgeois.
The duo initially attempted to portray themselves as prospective home buyers and offered the excuse of measuring the house dimensions. However, as the investigation proceeded over roughly five hours, the inconsistencies in their narrative surfaced. It became evident that they were not merely potential buyers, but were, in fact, implicated in a 2017 Georgia kidnapping case.
Deeper scrutiny of the premises led to the startling discovery of two children in a vehicle parked in the driveway, along with an assortment of counterfeit identification documents. One of the children was revealed to be the missing child from Georgia. Though it was not explicitly confirmed whether the second child was related to the original abduction case, both Khalid and Bourgeois were promptly arrested.
Following the detention, both parties were detained at the Douglas County Jail. Khalid is facing an array of charges, including conspiracy to kidnap, false reporting of identifying information to law enforcement, forgery, and first-degree criminal trespass of a dwelling, among others. The weight of these nine charges, seven of which are felonies, carry heavy legal implications. However, due to legal intricacies, Khalid is not formally charged with her own child’s kidnapping.
Elliot Blake Bourgeois, on the other hand, faces a total of 14 charges in connection with the case. Among the twelve felony charges are kidnapping, fraud, and identity theft, along with a suite of other serious offenses. As the legal proceedings advance, both Khalid and Bourgeois are held with a substantial bond requirement set at $1 million each.
To the immense relief of Abdul’s family, they issued a statement expressing their gratitude and joy at the youngster’s safe recovery: ‘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.’
The family is also appealing for respect and privacy to process the dramatic events and heal collectively, ‘Now, as we navigate the next steps, we ask for privacy so that we can move forward as a family and heal together,’ stated Abdul’s family.
The US Marshal overseeing the case acknowledged the tireless seven-year effort that brought about this pivotal developments, expressing gratitude to all agencies involved, ‘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.’
Despite the success story, several questions regarding the case remain open for investigation. The motives and factors that steered Khalid and Bourgeois to Colorado are still unknown. However, as part of the ongoing investigation, detectives have carried out a search warrant on a home in Aurora, where the suspects are believed to have resided.
Upon the arrest of Khalid and Bourgeois, the children present at the scene were immediately taken into protective custody. Their future will now be in the hands of the court, which will decide the next steps to be taken. The identity of the second child discovered at the scene remains confidential, and it has not been disclosed by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
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