Updated Fri, February 16th 2024 at 1:36 PM
by SBG San Antonio Staff Reports
SAN ANTONIO - A fresh tip has led San Antonio police to launch a new search in connection with the disappearance of 3-year-old Lina Khil, who went missing in December 2021.
SAPD officers have been scouring a wooded area not far from the apartment complex off Fredericksburg Rd. where Lina was last seen alive near the complex's playground on Dec. 20, 2021.
Police received the new tip about Lina's disappearance Wednesday night, prompting investigators to focus on the greenway off Gardendale St. and Bluemel Rd, just a couple blocks away from where she vanished. Officers have been joined by CSI technicians, K9 units and FBI agents.
The area is quite familiar to Lina's family. It takes less than one minute to drive from the search site to the apartments where Lina disappeared.
"This was one of the first areas that we searched," said Khil family spokesperson Pamela Allen. "Also, I know that SAPD came back here and searched this area as well."
Police would not elaborate on the nature of the tip that brought them back here, but they did say they plan to be here for a while. They've already brought in at least one Porta Potty.
"We'll be here out until we're confident that we find something or we don't find anything," said Officer Ricardo Guzman. "We're doing our part, and this is an active investigation."
Lina's father Riaz spent much of Thursday morning and afternoon watching the search from a distance.
"I want to tell you, this father's heart is broken," Allen said. "He continues to search and look for answers."
Around mid-afternoon, Allen said she'd spoken to investigators about the status of their search and was told they were waiting on equipment. When she asked if the equipment was for digging, they said no.
"When I asked again what type of equipment, whether it was something that maybe can take an X-ray, they said yes," she explained. "They are looking for a body."
Many of the people who live in the Helix Apartments near the search site have have been following the search since Wednesday night.
"They're still here and I'm like, 'What's going on, do they have anything going on," said resident Pancho Martinez. "Did they find anything?"
An SAPD spokesperson says they understand the attention this search has garnered.
"This case affected the city of San Antonio pretty heavily two years ago," said Officer Guzman. "People still talk about this case. We still have it pinned to the top of the SAPD Facebook page."
This new search comes just one day after Lina's family met with SAPD to voice their frustrations about the case.
"They feel that the communication has not been forthcoming," said Allen. "And so in that meeting yesterday, it was to clear the air."
All this, two years and two months since little Lina was seen alive.
"February 20th, Lina will be turning six," added Allen. "We're just gonna pray for a good outcome."
