An Algerian man, Omar Bin Omran who went missing at the age of 17 has been found alive 26 years later in his neighbor’s house following an alleged kidnap.
According to Daily Mail, Omar was discovered in a hole in the ground within a sheep pen, concealed under stacks of hay.
Omar, one of nine children, disappeared in the city of Djelfa, Algeria, 26 years ago. His family believed he had been killed during the civil war that ravaged the nation in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Reports indicate that Omar was discovered within a distance of fewer than 200 meters from his family’s residence. Following Omar’s rescue on May 12, a 61-year-old neighbor has been taken into police custody.
READ MORE: X Risks Fines As Elon Musk Insists On Violating Court Order
The footage was shared on social media and broadcast on Algerian television networks of the moment that he was found in what appeared to be a hole in the ground, described by authorities as a sheep pen, within the home of his alleged captor.
The blurry video shows torchlights shining into a pit surrounded by hay as Omar furtively looks up, seemingly in shock at the search party surrounding him, with stray pieces of straw in his hair.
Additional pictures have subsequently been disseminated depicting the individual with facial hair emerging from the aperture, believed to be a structure for housing sheep. Furthermore, there are also photographs capturing him during his adolescence, wherein he can be seen seated alongside a canine companion and young offspring, prior to his sudden disappearance.
According to the Algerian newspaper El Khabar, his dog recognized his scent and stayed near where Omar was held. It was alleged that the captor poisoned the dog to ward the family off.
Omar went missing in 1998 while heading to a vocational school. He was found after the captor’s brother aired grievances on social media, reportedly over an inheritance dispute.
This led Omar’s family to search the neighbour’s house, where they found him. The captor attempted to flee but was restrained and arrested.
Unfortunately, Omar’s mother who reportedly never stopped looking for her son passed away in 2013 without being aware of what happened to him. It has been reported that Omar learned about his mother’s death while he was being held captive.
“His poor mum died while he was in captivity, without knowing what had happened to him, without knowing that all this time he was really right beside her,” a neighbour told Algerian broadcaster Bilad.
How Omar Was Found
A court official in Djelfa was quoted as saying: “Two days ago, on 12 May 2024, the Public Prosecutor’s Office received, through the regional department of the National Gendarmerie in El Jadid, a complaint against an anonymous person claiming that the complainant’s brother, Omar bin Omran, who has been missing for about 30 years, is in the house of one of his neighbours, inside a sheepfold.
Following this report, the General Prosecutor of the Court of Idrisiya in the province of Djelfa ordered the National Gendarmerie to open an in-depth investigation and officers went to the house in question.
He added: “The Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered that the victim receive medical and psychological treatment, and the suspect will be presented to the Public Prosecutor’s Office immediately after the completion of the investigation.”
Officials have promised the ‘perpetrator of this heinous crime’ will be tried with ‘severity.’
The suspect, a civil servant, lived alone but was often seen buying enough food for two people. A neighbour recounted to Algerian TV station Bilad that Omar’s mother died without knowing her son was so close by.
Public prosecutors in Djelfa, a mountain city with a population of approximately 500,000 people located about 140 miles south of the coastal capital Algiers, have announced that Omar will be provided with psychological support following his rescue, as they are committed to ensuring he receives justice.
‘The Djelfa Attorney General’s Office informs the public that on May 12 at 8 pm local time, it found victim Omar B, aged 45, in the case of his neighbor, B.A., aged 61,’ they said in a statement.
What To Know
Questions have, however, arisen about why Omar did not call for help during his captivity. Some reports claim Omar said he was unable to call out because of a spell cast by his captor, while others suggest his psychological state may have prevented him from seeking help.
Jaycee Dugard’s abduction in Meyers, California in 1991 is considered one of the most enduring kidnapping cases worldwide. For a staggering period of over 18 years, the eleven-year-old remained missing after being taken by Phillip and Nancy Garrido.
