Fugitive Mother Arrested, Missing Child Recovered in Douglas County

A routine trespassing call in a Denver suburb led to the discovery of Abdul “Aziz” Khan, a 7-year-old boy kidnapped in 2017, and the arrest of his mother, Rabia Khalid, who had been on the run for seven years.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced the March 5 arrest, crediting the keen instincts of deputies who responded to a burglary in progress at a vacant home in Highlands Ranch on February 23.

According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Khan was taken by Khalid and her husband, Elliot Bourgeois, in 2017 amid a custody battle in Atlanta. Khalid, fearing she would lose custody, failed to appear at a custody hearing and disappeared with Khan, prompting authorities to issue a felony kidnapping warrant for her arrest.

For years, the family remained undetected, but their fugitive status unraveled after a homeowner observed suspicious activity at a property listed for sale and called police. When deputies arrived, they found two children in a parked car outside the home. A man and woman exited the property, claiming to be associated with a Realtor. However, as officers worked for four hours to verify their identities, inconsistencies in their story raised suspicion.

Further investigation confirmed the woman was Khalid, and one of the children was Khan, now 14 years old. Both Khalid and Bourgeois were arrested on charges of second-degree kidnapping, forgery, identity theft, providing false information to authorities, and trespassing. They are being held on $1 million bond each.

Khan and his younger sibling have been placed in protective custody.

Khan’s family expressed gratitude, stating, “We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has finally been found. We want to thank everyone for their support over the last seven years. 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 praised the deputies’ sharp instincts, saying, “What started as a routine trespass call led to the safe recovery of a child missing for seven years. Our team’s persistence in uncovering the truth is a testament to their dedication to justice and protecting the most vulnerable.”

The investigation remains ongoing.