San Antonio police widened their search for 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil, who’s been missing since Monday evening, as a reward for information that would help find her grew to $75,000.
On Tuesday, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus shared “preliminary information” about the missing girl, who was last seen at a playground at the Villas Del Cabo apartment complex in the 9400 Block of Fredericksburg Road. Her mother, who reported her missing, last saw her daughter between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday.
Khil was wearing a red dress, black jacket and black shoes, McManus said.
“Her mother left for — I’m not sure how long,” he said. “When she came back later, a relatively short time later, the little girl was gone. She was missing. The family reported it to the police about 7:15 [Monday] night. So we have been at this search since then.”
The FBI has also sent agents to help the San Antonio Police Department search for Sardar Khil, McManus said. Her disappearance was of a “suspicious nature,” he added. The Texas Department of Public Safety issued an Amber Alert late Monday night.
“We are sparing no assets, no resources in trying to find 3-year-old Lina,” he said.
The police were able to connect with FBI agents who speak the same language as Khil’s family, which McManus said he understands is not very common. The family came to the United States from Afghanistan in 2019.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Islamic Center of San Antonio posted to its website a poster offering a $10,000 reward to “anyone who can provide information to anyone who successfully helps” find the girl. A short while later, the poster was updated, with the first award amount crossed out, and $20,000 printed in its place. Hours later in a post on its Facebook page, the center increased the amount to $75,000.
The case is also making international headlines.
SAPD sent out a text notification on Wednesday in English, Spanish and Arabic, instructing anyone who may have information to share it with the police. A description of the 3-year-old can be found here. The department is asking the community to call the missing persons unit at 210-207-7660 if they have any information about Sardar Khil.
Late Wednesday, police could be seen taking names and checking the IDs of everyone entering the complex where the girl lived and was last seen. There were about 20 men congregating there as police maintained a perimeter with several squad cars staked out throughout the immediate area.
Photojournalist Nick Wagner contributed to this story.
