TX TX - Lina Sardar Khil Last Seen On Playground At Apartment Complex - San Antonio, Dec 2021 #3

wow. from your link:

Guzman said they received the tip early Thursday but Allen said the tip came in on Wednesday night. A resident also told KSAT they saw officers at the greenway on Wednesday night with someone wearing what appeared to be a jail jumpsuit.
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Makes you wonder what came first the tip or the meeting? did they get a tip on Wednesday and call a meeting with parents to give them a heads up of what they'd been tipped about and the fact they'd be searching?
Good point, I think you may be on to something family was alerted that this tip seemed credible and not the news they had hoped for.
 
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESSER

15 FEBRUARY

SAPD
- So, early this morning, we received a tip involving the Lina Khil case. This tip that we received, we treat serious just like any other tips, as we have over the last 2 years, we do our due diligence and follow up on every tip. In this case, we're here at this location, there's Greenway complexes behind me that's what the tip said, that we could find some evidence, whether that's true or not, we're still looking into it but we do have SAP personnel here, CSI is out here. We have other partners that have been with us since the beginning, assisting us in searching. So, we're just continuing that search and doing our part and following up on every tip that we receive for Lina Khil.

REPORTER - What kind of evidence?

SAPD - I can't go into exact details, what the tip said it could be, but it's just the tip that we're following up on.

REPORTER - Is it possible that you're looking for her body right now?

SAPD - It is possible.

REPORTER - Can you tell us if that's what the tip said?

SAPD - I don't know exactly what the tip was, what was said but there is potentially... the tip could be the result in finding Lina Khil. Obviously, that's what we're trying to find right now. We're trying to figure out if that's a legitimate tip, is it a good tip is it not?, and we're gonna be out here until we're confident and we figure out which one it is.

REPORTER - When did the tip come in and how long have you all been out here?

SAPD - It came in, to my knowledge, early this morning and we've been out here since the early hours of this morning. I don't have an exact time, just I know it's the early hours of today.

REPORTER - How much area are you covering back there?

SAPD - Just that wooded area that's back there, we have dogs out here, we have CSI out here looking through that entire wooded area right now.

REPORTER - And I also heard that you have the mobile command centre out here as well.

SAPD - I don't believe so, we do have a CSI trailer out here, that's normal with these kinds of searches. You know, these kinds of searches aren't new, not that they happen every day, but these do happen quite often. You know, the reason we're out here today as far as media goes, and this is a public space, relatively close to where the incident location took place over two years ago, so residents were calling in concerned there's a large heavy police presence. As with police presence brings out media attention, brings out the curiosity of people. So, figured I'd let the public know that they're safe, there's not an active threat, we're just doing our part in searching for Lina Khil and following up on any tips.

REPORTER - Is there anything to indicate this tip may be different than the others?

SAPD - As of right now, we just treat every tip seriously. We don't know if it's a good tip, we don't know if it's a legitimate tip at this time but we're going to be out here until we're confident that we figure out if it is or not.

REPORTER - In the past two years or so how many tips like this have led to searches such as the one behind you?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer.

REPORTER - I mean, are we talking like 3 or 4? Are we talking 10 - 20?

SAPD - I don't have the exact answer.

REPORTER - Okay, but you said you have done multiple searches like this?

SAPD - Absolutely. In the last two years since Lina's been missing, there has been multiple searches. Not every search that we do, not every tip that we get is put out there - one for the integrity of the case, let the detectives do their job. But two for the family, this is still a family matter, it's still personal to them. So, we're not broadcasting every single thing that we receive. Again, in this case, it's just a public area and that's why we're out here right now.

REPORTER - This is less than half a mile from where Lina disappeared - Have you searched this area before?

SAPD - To my knowledge, this area has been searched in the initial time period when everything took place. So, this area it's not new to us, we have searched this area before but again, it's a new tip possibly a new lead that we could follow up on as we have for the last two years, we're going to take every tip we can seriously and do our due diligence.

REPORTER - And how much of an area did you say they're searching? Is it the whole Greenway or just that portion?

SAPD - The wooded area in the Greenway that's behind me.

REPORTER - And I heard... is this a homeless encampment back there?

SAPD - There is evidence of people residing there, potentially homeless people. I mean, yes.

REPORTER - Was the tip tied to that homeless camp?

SAPD - No, this tip was received and I can't go into exact detail to who gave it just for integrity of them and for the safety of that person who provided the tip. The fact that there's individuals residing back there doesn't involve the case at all.

REPORTER - Was it an anonymous tip or y'all know who provided the information?

SAPD - We're gonna leave that, it's still an active case so I can't comment on that.

REPORTER - With this case right now, I mean, it has been 2 plus years - what is.. San Antonio police still treating this as a missing persons or have y'all moved into assuming that this is now a homicide?

SAPD - Right now it's still an active missing persons case, and that's the way it is right now, until there's any further evidence that tells us otherwise. Right now, it's just an active missing persons case. You know, this case happened over two years ago, but it hits San Antonio, fairly hard. People still talk about this case at the top of the San Antonio Police Department's Facebook page we have Lina Khil pinned to the top post. Again, if anyone knows anything, if anyone has any information, no matter how small of a detail, it may be, call SAPD, call the Special Victims Unit directly and give that information. Any tip no matter how small can help solve this case.

REPORTER - Now, you've also been working this case with the FBI. Are they out here with you too?

SAPD - We have multiple partners out here that have been involved since the beginning and that's as much as I can confirm, but we do have multiple partners out here assisting us.

REPORTER - And did the tip come directly to SAPD or did it come through one of those partners or the investigator that I believe has been helping the family?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer right now.

REPORTER - Anything else you can tell us about this?

SAPD - Not right now. I mean, we hope for the best, we hope to bring justice to Lina. We're hopefully able to bring closure to Lina and her family.

REPORTER - (inaudible) step by step process of what happens when CSI and SAPD are doing an active search in an area? And how big is this area?

SAPD - How big it is? that's a great question, I don't have that exact answer. I mean, from what you can see that's pretty much it, from the sides of the fence. Any tip that we receive, not specifically this case, any case in general, our detectives get a case even if it's a fresh case, CSI comes out here. First of all, we're going to block off the area with crime scene tape. If you look closely, you can see some crime scene tape there and that's more for no one comes in. We want to keep the integrity of the scene secure. CSI will start processing, it just depends on the type of case it is but CSI has various tools that they can use. We do have dogs out here, we do have K9 that can assist in searching. It's a case by case, depends on what exactly took place, but CSI has different tools that they can use.

REPORTER - How many personnel in all?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer.

REPORTER - Estimate?

SAPD - I can't... I don't have an answer to that.

REPORTER - I've seen some crime scene tape ao are you looping over the entire park or is this just particular areas where you may have found something? can you kind of describe what we're seeing?

SAPD - Yes, we do have some crime tape up. Again, It's kind of blocking off the entrances to this location. We want to keep the area that we have secured. We don't want anyone accidentally walking into as we said there are individuals who use that spot to reside in, so we're trying to keep that area secure, keep it fresh and protect the integrity of that area.

REPORTER - Has SAPD always been working with the FBI on this specific case?

SAPD - I don't know at what point the FBI began assisting us, but they have been involved in this case. Whether they're here right now specifically, I can't confirm that information.

REPORTER - If they were here right now what would be their role?

SAPD - Just assisting with the search. They have other tools that we don't that they bring along. So, just additional tools that that may help us find, or solve any type of case.

REPORTER - How many hours has this been going on?

SAPD - I don't have the exact time that we started, all I know is it started in the early hours of this morning.

REPORTER - Any estimation on how long you might be out here?

SAPD - At the minimum we'll be out here for a few hours but we're going to be out here until we're confident that we realise if this is a legitimate tip or not.

REPORTER - Do you follow up on every tip to this extent or is there something about it that this seems legit enough that we should check it out that it's not some bogus or prank tip?

SAPD - I don't have the exact answer to that specific question. What I can say is - we do take every tip seriously. In this case, this tip, the area that it was in was relatively close to where everything took place. So right now, just because of the area and the tip that we received, we're going to look into it and we'll use all the tools available that we have.
 
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESSER

15 FEBRUARY

SAPD
- So, early this morning, we received a tip involving the Lina Khil case. This tip that we received, we treat serious just like any other tips, as we have over the last 2 years, we do our due diligence and follow up on every tip. In this case, we're here at this location, there's Greenway complexes behind me that's what the tip said, that we could find some evidence, whether that's true or not, we're still looking into it but we do have SAP personnel here, CSI is out here. We have other partners that have been with us since the beginning, assisting us in searching. So, we're just continuing that search and doing our part and following up on every tip that we receive for Lina Khil.

REPORTER - What kind of evidence?

SAPD - I can't go into exact details, what the tip said it could be, but it's just the tip that we're following up on.

REPORTER - Is it possible that you're looking for her body right now?

SAPD - It is possible.

REPORTER - Can you tell us if that's what the tip said?

SAPD - I don't know exactly what the tip was, what was said but there is potentially... the tip could be the result in finding Lina Khil. Obviously, that's what we're trying to find right now. We're trying to figure out if that's a legitimate tip, is it a good tip is it not?, and we're gonna be out here until we're confident and we figure out which one it is.

REPORTER - When did the tip come in and how long have you all been out here?

SAPD - It came in, to my knowledge, early this morning and we've been out here since the early hours of this morning. I don't have an exact time, just I know it's the early hours of today.

REPORTER - How much area are you covering back there?

SAPD - Just that wooded area that's back there, we have dogs out here, we have CSI out here looking through that entire wooded area right now.

REPORTER - And I also heard that you have the mobile command centre out here as well.

SAPD - I don't believe so, we do have a CSI trailer out here, that's normal with these kinds of searches. You know, these kinds of searches aren't new, not that they happen every day, but these do happen quite often. You know, the reason we're out here today as far as media goes, and this is a public space, relatively close to where the incident location took place over two years ago, so residents were calling in concerned there's a large heavy police presence. As with police presence brings out media attention, brings out the curiosity of people. So, figured I'd let the public know that they're safe, there's not an active threat, we're just doing our part in searching for Lina Khil and following up on any tips.

REPORTER - Is there anything to indicate this tip may be different than the others?

SAPD - As of right now, we just treat every tip seriously. We don't know if it's a good tip, we don't know if it's a legitimate tip at this time but we're going to be out here until we're confident that we figure out if it is or not.

REPORTER - In the past two years or so how many tips like this have led to searches such as the one behind you?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer.

REPORTER - I mean, are we talking like 3 or 4? Are we talking 10 - 20?

SAPD - I don't have the exact answer.

REPORTER - Okay, but you said you have done multiple searches like this?

SAPD - Absolutely. In the last two years since Lina's been missing, there has been multiple searches. Not every search that we do, not every tip that we get is put out there - one for the integrity of the case, let the detectives do their job. But two for the family, this is still a family matter, it's still personal to them. So, we're not broadcasting every single thing that we receive. Again, in this case, it's just a public area and that's why we're out here right now.

REPORTER - This is less than half a mile from where Lina disappeared - Have you searched this area before?

SAPD - To my knowledge, this area has been searched in the initial time period when everything took place. So, this area it's not new to us, we have searched this area before but again, it's a new tip possibly a new lead that we could follow up on as we have for the last two years, we're going to take every tip we can seriously and do our due diligence.

REPORTER - And how much of an area did you say they're searching? Is it the whole Greenway or just that portion?

SAPD - The wooded area in the Greenway that's behind me.

REPORTER - And I heard... is this a homeless encampment back there?

SAPD - There is evidence of people residing there, potentially homeless people. I mean, yes.

REPORTER - Was the tip tied to that homeless camp?

SAPD - No, this tip was received and I can't go into exact detail to who gave it just for integrity of them and for the safety of that person who provided the tip. The fact that there's individuals residing back there doesn't involve the case at all.

REPORTER - Was it an anonymous tip or y'all know who provided the information?

SAPD - We're gonna leave that, it's still an active case so I can't comment on that.

REPORTER - With this case right now, I mean, it has been 2 plus years - what is.. San Antonio police still treating this as a missing persons or have y'all moved into assuming that this is now a homicide?

SAPD - Right now it's still an active missing persons case, and that's the way it is right now, until there's any further evidence that tells us otherwise. Right now, it's just an active missing persons case. You know, this case happened over two years ago, but it hits San Antonio, fairly hard. People still talk about this case at the top of the San Antonio Police Department's Facebook page we have Lina Khil pinned to the top post. Again, if anyone knows anything, if anyone has any information, no matter how small of a detail, it may be, call SAPD, call the Special Victims Unit directly and give that information. Any tip no matter how small can help solve this case.

REPORTER - Now, you've also been working this case with the FBI. Are they out here with you too?

SAPD - We have multiple partners out here that have been involved since the beginning and that's as much as I can confirm, but we do have multiple partners out here assisting us.

REPORTER - And did the tip come directly to SAPD or did it come through one of those partners or the investigator that I believe has been helping the family?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer right now.

REPORTER - Anything else you can tell us about this?

SAPD - Not right now. I mean, we hope for the best, we hope to bring justice to Lina. We're hopefully able to bring closure to Lina and her family.

REPORTER - (inaudible) step by step process of what happens when CSI and SAPD are doing an active search in an area? And how big is this area?

SAPD - How big it is? that's a great question, I don't have that exact answer. I mean, from what you can see that's pretty much it, from the sides of the fence. Any tip that we receive, not specifically this case, any case in general, our detectives get a case even if it's a fresh case, CSI comes out here. First of all, we're going to block off the area with crime scene tape. If you look closely, you can see some crime scene tape there and that's more for no one comes in. We want to keep the integrity of the scene secure. CSI will start processing, it just depends on the type of case it is but CSI has various tools that they can use. We do have dogs out here, we do have K9 that can assist in searching. It's a case by case, depends on what exactly took place, but CSI has different tools that they can use.

REPORTER - How many personnel in all?

SAPD - I don't have that exact answer.

REPORTER - Estimate?

SAPD - I can't... I don't have an answer to that.

REPORTER - I've seen some crime scene tape ao are you looping over the entire park or is this just particular areas where you may have found something? can you kind of describe what we're seeing?

SAPD - Yes, we do have some crime tape up. Again, It's kind of blocking off the entrances to this location. We want to keep the area that we have secured. We don't want anyone accidentally walking into as we said there are individuals who use that spot to reside in, so we're trying to keep that area secure, keep it fresh and protect the integrity of that area.

REPORTER - Has SAPD always been working with the FBI on this specific case?

SAPD - I don't know at what point the FBI began assisting us, but they have been involved in this case. Whether they're here right now specifically, I can't confirm that information.

REPORTER - If they were here right now what would be their role?

SAPD - Just assisting with the search. They have other tools that we don't that they bring along. So, just additional tools that that may help us find, or solve any type of case.

REPORTER - How many hours has this been going on?

SAPD - I don't have the exact time that we started, all I know is it started in the early hours of this morning.

REPORTER - Any estimation on how long you might be out here?

SAPD - At the minimum we'll be out here for a few hours but we're going to be out here until we're confident that we realise if this is a legitimate tip or not.

REPORTER - Do you follow up on every tip to this extent or is there something about it that this seems legit enough that we should check it out that it's not some bogus or prank tip?

SAPD - I don't have the exact answer to that specific question. What I can say is - we do take every tip seriously. In this case, this tip, the area that it was in was relatively close to where everything took place. So right now, just because of the area and the tip that we received, we're going to look into it and we'll use all the tools available that we have.
thank you.
 
I remember the day this sweet girl went missing. Still think of her often. Like a few of you have said today, I have mixed feelings about this. Can't imagine the emotions that her family are feeling at this moment.
I completely agree, with regards to the bit about mixed emotions. I feel exactly the same way. I’m incredibly disheartened to hear the news, but I’m also hoping that the family will get closure.

With every family that has a member go missing it’s always “the not knowing” that hurts them the most. Days, months, years spent wondering if they are out there. Are they cold? Hungry? Alone?

Speaking from personal experience, it’s the absolute worst. I hope the family finally gets closure, whatever the outcome.
 
No update yet.

The area has been searched several times since Lina’s disappearance, Guzman said, but the new tip set off a renewed search. SAPD detectives, at least one K-9, the SAPD Crime Scene Investigations Unit and the FBI searched the area on Thursday.

As of Thursday afternoon, no evidence had been found, although FBI detectives at one point appeared to remove a long object from a shed before wrapping the structure with caution tape.

At this point in the search, officials are waiting for sonar X-ray technology to arrive, said Pamela Allen, the Khil family’s advocate and CEO of Eagles Flight Advocacy & Outreach, a nonprofit that helps refugees and families find resources in San Antonio.

SAPD investigators told the Khil family the department had been at the scene since last night, and that they are currently waiting for the additional equipment “to see what’s under the dirt.”

More at the link.
 
No update yet.

The area has been searched several times since Lina’s disappearance, Guzman said, but the new tip set off a renewed search. SAPD detectives, at least one K-9, the SAPD Crime Scene Investigations Unit and the FBI searched the area on Thursday.

As of Thursday afternoon, no evidence had been found, although FBI detectives at one point appeared to remove a long object from a shed before wrapping the structure with caution tape.

At this point in the search, officials are waiting for sonar X-ray technology to arrive, said Pamela Allen, the Khil family’s advocate and CEO of Eagles Flight Advocacy & Outreach, a nonprofit that helps refugees and families find resources in San Antonio.

SAPD investigators told the Khil family the department had been at the scene since last night, and that they are currently waiting for the additional equipment “to see what’s under the dirt.”

More at the link.
Shovel? :(

A long object covered with brown paper bags was removed from the shed at the Helix Complex.
A long object covered with brown paper bags was removed from a shed near the Helix Apartments. Credit: Scott Ball / San Antonio Report
 
The search continues this morning, Ground radar has arrived. I noticed 2 canopies, 1 just outside the area, Kind of a command center type setup. The other inside the perimeter, possibly a specific area of interest. Father and advocate are on scene.

Side note, this is all happening in the field next to the apartments I worked at back in the 70's
 
At this point in the search, officials are waiting for sonar X-ray technology to arrive, said Pamela Allen, the Khil family’s advocate and CEO of Eagles Flight Advocacy & Outreach, a nonprofit that helps refugees and families find resources in San Antonio. The Khil family came to the United States from Afghanistan in 2019.

SAPD investigators told the Khil family the department had been at the scene since last night, and that they are currently waiting for the additional equipment “to see what’s under the dirt.”

SAPD confirmed that “they are looking for a body,” Allen said.
SAPD search for missing Afghan refugee toddler Lina Khil after tip

New lead for Lina? Retired FBI agent discusses missing toddler's case
 

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