Missing girl Lina Sardar Khil
A nationwide program about missing children will highlight Lina Sardar Khil, who has been missing from San Antonio for more than nine months.
On Wednesday, September 21 at 8 p.m., a segment with her will air on In Pursuit with John Walsh. Investigation Discovery, channel c. Additionally, Discovery + will stream it the next day. The show frequently emphasizes missing children and wanted fugitives.
On December 20, 2021, Lina was last seen on the playground in her San Antonio apartment building. The now 4-year-old child was lost and vanished after escaping her mother’s sight. Lina had just turned 3 years old when she vanished. She is 55 pounds and 4 feet tall. When she vanished, she was dressed in a red dress, a black jacket, and black shoes. Lina may only speak Pashto because she is originally from Afghanistan.
According to her father, Riaz Sardar Khil, Lina’s family relocated to the United States in 2019
When the Sardar Khil family (Riaz and Zarmeena) fled as refugees from the political and militant upheaval of
They left Afghanistan in 2019 for the US in search of a better life and prospects for their young daughter, Lina. She was born just one year before they moved to the US, making it the only place she has lived long enough to recall. The family established new roots in San Antonio, Texas, with assistance from the neighborhood Afghan community. They gradually rebuilt new lives while adjusting from their little town back home to the larger city they now lived in. Riaz and Zermeena’s brothers were among the US subcontractors removed from Afghanistan after the US troops withdrew; they were subsequently able to travel to San Antonio. December 20 was planned to be an exciting and meaningful day as the winter holidays got closer.
Now a happy three-year-old and older sister, Little Lina was beginning to understand the excitement that day surrounded the family. Lina was having fun in the little playground that was outside in their apartment complex, happy to burn off some of that surplus energy. The area was well-liked by the neighborhood kids, and many of the other Afghan youngsters who lived there were frequently spotted hanging out there.
Her mother saw Lina outside playing somewhere between 4:30 and 5:10 pm (16:30 and 17:10) with no indication of any problems. Because of the numerous crevices and side routes in the region, Lina soon disappeared from view. It’s unclear if any other kids were playing outside with her at the time or how many. Some reports claim that her mother briefly left the courtyard, but if true, it was not for a long period of time and was not unusual for their neighborhood. They were comfortable with their neighbors, many of whom were Afghans themselves, and frequently allowed their kids to play outside by themselves. There was no indication that any questionable characters had been present in the region on that day or in the days before, so it appeared to be secure. A short while later, Lina’s mother came seeking for her but as she started to frantically search the area, she immediately realized there was no sign of the child. Zermeena searched the area and called Riaz at work around 5:30 pm (17:30) asking for assistance. The alarm went off as the sun fell and the temperature began to fall, but Lina was nowhere to be found.
Together, the family joined the search effort and canvassed the neighborhood to see if anyone had seen Lina or could have information about her whereabouts. With no prior knowledge, the police were called at around 7:15 p.m. (19:15), and by 10:30 p.m. (22:30), the Amber Alert had been issued. Police had always handled the case as both a missing persons case and an abducted child case, despite the lack of evidence that suggested a kidnapping had taken place. Additionally, the FBI was swiftly enlisted to start assisting with the hunt. On January 7, 2022, the Amber Alert was terminated, although the investigation is still ongoing. Some people think Lina might not even be in Texas or San Antonio anymore.
The search for Lina is still being maintained by volunteers and a variety of local groups. Companies like Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach assisted with the search of the approximately 27-mile area surrounding the Leon Creek Greenway, a frequent location for leaving undiscovered remains. The family is collaborating with local organizations and allies to raise money and awareness of her disappearance through volunteer work. The prize for information has been increased to $250,000 thanks to contributions from Crime Stoppers and the Islamic Center of San Antonio.