Authorities are searching every nook and cranny of the apartment complex, including the dumpsters and cars nearby, due to the "suspicious nature" of the child's disappearance.
Lina Sardar Khil was at a playground located at her family's apartment complex on December 20, 2021, when her mom left her unattended for a few minutes. When the mother returned, her daughter was gone. She was last seen between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., according to CNN. Lina was wearing a black jacket, a red dress, and black shoes when she disappeared. A flyer distributed by police says she is 4 feet tall, weighs 55 pounds, and had her shoulder-length hair in a ponytail. Police believe the child may be in grave or immediate danger.
Authorities are unsure if the three-year-old girl wandered away from the playground or if she was abducted, said San Antonio Police Chief, William McManus during a press conference on December 21, 2021, per WTVA. "We are sparing no assets or resources trying to find 3-year-old Lina," McManus said.
According to KSAT, the child's family is among the Afghanistan refugees in San Antonio. It is unclear when the family arrived in the United States. Margaret Constantino with the Center for Refugee Services said that while she knows very little about the family, any missing child is everyone's missing child.
“And like any big family with lots and lots of little kids, all of these children are precious to us,” she said. “Knowing this community, they’re very close-knit. So people will be out there beating the bushes, looking for this child.”
Meanwhile, McManus said that authorities are searching every nook and cranny of the apartment complex, including the dumpsters and cars nearby, due to the "suspicious nature" of the child's disappearance. An amber alert was also announced on the same day the child went missing, he added.
A Facebook post with the child's pictures has been shared on social media, along with the caption: "Please share - - Update on Missing Child Case 9400 Fredericksburg Rd. The SAPD continues an active and all hands on deck search for the missing child, Lina Sardar Khil. At this time, we continue to ask for the public’s assistance in providing any information on Lina’s whereabouts to call 210-207-7660 (Missing Person Unit)"
Meanwhile, the Islamic Center of San Antonio has offered a $75,000 reward for anybody who could provide information that would help find the little girl and reunite her with her worried parents. The center had initially offered a reward of $10,000, but the amount grew in size as several donations came, the center officials added.
Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to call SAPD’s missing person unit at 210-207-7660.
References:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/22/us/san-antonio-missing-girl/index.html
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/12/21/more-details-emerge-about-missing-3-year-old-lina-khil/
https://www.facebook.com/SanAntonioPD/posts/284635070356943
Cover Image Source: Facebook | San Antonio Police Department
