Five months after a Texas toddler went missing, her parents are now facing harassment as they try to cope with their daughter’s abduction.
Lina Sardar Khil was 3 at the time of her disappearance on Dec. 20, according to KENS-TV.
San Antonio police say they continue to receive leads on the case, but for now, the girl’s parents have called off searches that used to enlist volunteers to hunt for the toddler.
Pam Allen, CEO of Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach, initially helped the parents organize vigils and searches.
‘JUST SO HARD’: Lina Sardar Khil was abducted in December when she was 3 years old, according to police. https://t.co/i4wwzjb5a6 pic.twitter.com/fjyHdtyVXp
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 22, 2022
“We have people that are stalking us that go on these searches, that film us, take pictures of us and come up with different stories,” Allen said regarding the cease in searches, according to Fox News. “We just don’t want to do those types of searches anymore.”
Riaz and Zarmeena Sardar Khil are expecting another child and have pulled back from public view. Allen said not only has the family been harassed, but they have been threatened, according to KENS-TV.
Should the search for Lina Sardar Khil have been put on hold?
Allen explained that “keyboard warriors” are claiming the parents are responsible, saying “Things [are] directed at them because they’re Afghani and because they’re Muslim. That’s harsh.”
“[Riaz] assisted our military forces when we were [in Afghanistan] … We brought him over here to make sure his family is safe. Then this happens,” she said.
Heart breaking!
We cry the same tears and bleed the same red blood, anyone who has a child kidnapped is dying inside everyday!Family of missing Lina Sadar Khil, 3, being stalked and harassed with conspiracy theories: reporthttps://t.co/cxccEqASER
— Debbie Aldrich ?? (@DebbieAAldrich) May 22, 2022
Project Absentis, which helps with cases of abduction, is stepping up, Abel Pena, private investigator for Project Absentis, said.
“We’re doing everything pro-bono,” Pena said. “We might generate additional leads and be able to get other people to be able to talk to us that don’t feel comfortable talking to law enforcement.”
Pena said the group is trying to compile a timeline that extends before the girl’s disappearance.
“We’re not just looking at the day of, but we’re trying to go back a couple of days at least and see what anomalies were out there, perhaps in the neighborhood,” Pena said. “Maybe people in the area that people didn’t recognize as being from the area.”
Five months after Lina Khil’s disappearance, police continue their efforts to locate the missing child. https://t.co/bBVHbWqS2F
— KAMR Local 4 News (@KAMRLocal4News) May 20, 2022
Pena said it’s unclear whether the girl remains alive.
“It’s really difficult to say. I want to lean towards being optimistic and lean towards her being alive,” Pena said.
Police have said the case is still a missing persons case because no evidence has shown that the girl was abducted.
