The then 3-year-old girl vanished on Dec. 20, 2021
Tuesday marks one year since disappearance of Lina Khil
SAN ANTONIO – It has been almost four years since Lina Khil disappeared from a playground on the Northwest Side.
Lina’s family is hosting a press conference at 10 a.m. on Monday to share their updates on her disappearance.
KSAT will livestream the press conference in this article. Delays are possible; if there is not a livestream available, check back at a later time.
The then 3-year-old girl was near her apartment complex on Fredericksburg Road, just north of Wurzbach Road, when she vanished on Dec. 20, 2021.
Here’s a timeline of events in this missing case:
Dec. 20, 2021: Lina disappears
Lina’s family reported her missing at 7:15 p.m. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a black jacket, a red dress and black shoes.
Dec. 20, 2022: New video releasedSAPD released a new video on Dec. 20, 2022, that showed Lina at the playground moments before she disappeared. Police said at the time that a resident of the complex had a surveillance camera that captured those moments.
SAPD Lead Detective Jeremy Volz said at some point during the video, Lina walked off the screen.
That same day, Lina’s father, Riaz Sardar Khil, told KSAT through translator Lawang Mangal: “They never found a piece of evidence yet, so that’s very strange for me because the United States is a superpower of the world and they have all the resources and technology and everything.”
The Islamic Center of San Antonio contributed to the search effort by raising a $250,000 reward for information leading to Lina’s safe return.
Feb. 20, 2023: Age progression sketch unveiledEagle’s Flight Advocacy & Outreach created an age progression sketch of Lina. The sketch was released around her 5th birthday.April 20, 2023: Lina’s father takes polygraph test
Lina’s father was seen outside the San Antonio FBI office after spending hours inside on April 20, 2023.
Riaz Khil took a polygraph test to clear his name. A spokesperson for the Khil family told KSAT that the FBI was conducting the polygraph instead of SAPD. It’s unclear what led to that decision.Feb. 14, 2024: Tip submitted to SAPD was ‘not credible’A tip led authorities to a wooded area near Interstate 10 and Wurzbach Road, about a mile from where Lina disappeared.
Crews used drones and ground-penetrating radar in their search.
Lina’s father told KSAT that the tip reportedly came from an inmate, which prompted the search.
Two days after the tip was submitted, SAPD said the tip was “not credible.”
After the two-day search ended, Lina’s family then called for new investigators to take over the case.
March 2024: Age progression shows Lina at 6 years old
If you have any information about her disappearance, call SAPD’s Missing Persons Unit at 210-207-7660.
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About the AuthorsAvery Meurer headshotAvery Meurer
Avery Meurer is a Content Gatherer for KSAT 12. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Communications/Radio, Television and Film, as well as a Creative Writing Certificate. A native San Antonian, Avery attended the Northeast School of the Arts (NESA) majoring in musical theater and creative writing.
Myra Arthur headshotMyra Arthur
Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains.
She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.