A man who disappeared as a teen was held captive in neighbor’s cellar for 27 years. Officials found him alive on May 12.
Omar Bin Omran vanished when he was only 17 years old. His family believed Omar died during the civil war. However, on May 12, officials discovered him in his neighbor’s house — less than 200 meters away from his family’s home.
Omar, now 45, resided in what looked like a hole in the ground. His alleged captor, who is now 61, is in police custody.
Video footage showed a search party discovering Omar in what authorities called a “sheep pen.” He appeared in shock with pieces of straw in his hair as torchlights on him.
The search for Omar began in 1998 after he went missing while on his way to school. The now-45-year-old was found amid haystacks after the kidnapper’s brother aired grievances on social media over an inheritance dispute.
Additionally, an Algerian newspaper El Khabar suggested that Omar’s family stormed his captor’s home after discovering the information on social media. His captor attempted to flee, but officials ultimately restrained and arrested him.
Relatives on Facebook shared their gratitude for finding Omar after all these years. “Thank god my cousin was found,” Omar’s cousin wrote. “Bin Imran Omar is in good health after 26 years of disappearance. Awaiting details of the case and investigations.”
Unfortunately, Omar’s mother passed away back in 2013 — while still believing her son had died a decade prior.
Missing Man Held Captive in Neighbor’s Cellar for 27 Years
According to prosecutors, Omar will receive the necessary psychological care required for such a devastating trauma.
“The Djelfa Attorney General’s Office informs the public that on May 12 at 8pm local time it found victim Omar B, aged 45, in the case of his neighbour, B.A., aged 61,” public prosecutors said in a statement.
Additionally, a Djelfa court official provided a statement.
“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.
“The missing person was found and the suspect, the 61-year-old owner of the house was arrested,” the court official concluded.