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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas & Hannah Mackenzie Wood

Girl, 3, who disappeared from playground still missing ten months later

A heartbroken family are still searching for their three-year-old daughter after she disappeared from a playground ten months ago. Lina Sardar reportedly survived a suicide bombing in Afghanistan just months before she vanished form Villas Del Cabo apartment complex in San Antonio, Texas on December 20, 2021.

According to The New York Times, no witnesses have provided any information on the little girl's disappearance. Dad Riaz Sardar, a former Afghan army soldier, had moved his wife and daughter to the US three years ago to build a new life and keep his family safe.

However, during a visit to their home country, the family ended up just yards away from a suicide bomber who claimed the lives of hundreds of Afghans and 13 US troops. Lina lost consciousness during the attack and was flown back to Texas to recover - only to completely vanish just a few months later, the Mirror reports.

Lina had been playing with around a dozen other children at a playground near to the family's front door before she disappeared moments later, leaving her family devastated and the local police puzzled. She has still not been found a whole ten months later.

Reflecting on the desperate situation, Mr Sardar Khil told the newspaper: “We came from Afghanistan to have a happy and safe life here, but it didn’t happen. My whole life was ruined.”

Father Riaz Sardar Khil had moved his family from Afghanistan to the US to keep them save. (Eagles Flight Advocacy & Outreach)

After lengthy investigations by San Antonio Police, unsuccessful efforts were made by an 11-man FBI dive team this week to locate Lina's body at a creek located near the complex.

A statement from the law enforcement agency read: "Today’s dive effort concluded without any conclusive findings.

Lina had survived a suicide bombing in Afghanistan just months before disappearance. (San Antonio Police Department)

“Our follow up units continue to tirelessly investigate the disappearance of Lina. No resource, both from the Department and the FBI, has been spared in this investigation.

"Countless hours have been devoted to evidence analysis, aggressively chasing down leads, re-interviewing people, and ensuring that every piece of information is thoroughly scrutinised."

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