Missing Kansas Student Aisha Khan Found Alive, Family Left Wondering

The family of 19-year-old Aisha Khan have not spoken to her nor seen her.

ByABC News
December 22, 2011, 7:12 AM

Dec. 22, 2011— -- Even though Aisha Khan, the 19-year-old Kansas college student who disappeared on Friday, has been found unharmed, many are still baffled about what led to her disappearance and where she is, including her own family.

"Right now, at this point, all we know is that she's safe and sound and there are no further details," Aisha Khan's sister Faiza Khan, 21, told ABCNews.com.

Khan said that the family has not seen or spoken to Aisha Khan. The Overland Police Department notified them on Wednesday night that they had spoken to Aisha and confirmed that she was safe and not being held against her will.

Since Khan's disappearance on Friday, her family, including her husband of five months, made tearful pleas for her safe return and expressed a strong belief that she had been abducted. Now, the family is waiting to hear from her and discover what happened.

"We will find out. The family does not know anything at this point, just that she's safe and sound," said Faiza Khan. "Everyone is really excited. The prayers have come true."

The relieved family has expressed their support to the community and the media, but many are still questioning what happened and wondering if Khan will face any punitive or monetary consequences for the search.

The Overland Police spent about 400 hours looking for Khan with around 60 law enforcement agents, including the FBI. But authorities are saying that Khan will likely not face any legal consequences.

"She didn't report any criminal activity so there's nothing at this time that I'm seeing that she could be charged for, unless there's something else going on, which there hasn't been," Overland Police spokeswoman Michelle Koos told ABCNews.com. "There's not anything for them to be responsible for at this time."

Koos said that neither Aisha Khan nor her family ever called police to report any criminal activity. It was campus official from the University of Kansas that reported the situation.

"Law enforcement have been able to speak with her and confirm she's okay," Koos said. "They've actually been able to confirm her identity, which takes more than a phone call," said Koos.

She confirmed that authorities have seen Khan in person. When asked if Khan was the one who initiated contact with authorities, Koos said she was not absolutely certain, but believed that it was authorities who reached her.

The formal police investigation has been closed and Koos said police have not released Khan's location to her family. Koos said the cost of the investigation is not known at this time and may take a few days to determine.

"As an adult, all we need to do is verify that the person was not abducted or being held against her will," Koos said. "That's what we've done. Beyond that, it's a personal family issue to deal with."

"The main point that I would hope everyone keeps in mind is that a person that was missing was found and determined to be safe," Koos said. "To verify that someone's safe is never a waste of time."

Khan was last heard from the morning of Dec. 19 when she left her sister a troubling voicemail, saying that while she was studying for finals at an outdoor picnic table, a drunk man had been harassing her and attempted to kiss her before she hit him and took off.

"Oh my gosh he was so scary. My heart is, like, pounding. I've never got this scared in my life," Khan can be heard saying in the message. "Pick up your phones, I am freaked out right now."

Her family had feared for the worst, with her mother and husband of five months pleading with her alleged captor to let her go.

In a brief press conference late Wednesday night, a Khan's family spokesperson thanked their community for their outpouring of support.

But no family members would speak to reporters.

Police, who just days ago told ABC News that they were treating the case as an abduction, had no comment on Khan's reappearance.

Her cell phone, backpack and other items were at the University of Kansas picnic table where she had been sitting, but she was nowhere to be found.

She is a student at the Johnson County Community College, which partners with the University of Kansas, which is why Khan was on the campus.

Police launched a massive search and investigation, and Khan's husband, parents and siblings pleaded for her safe return.