Last week, a teenage girl who had been abducted by her mother six years earlier was discovered alive in North Carolina. “Unsolved Mysteries” on Netflix also included a segment about the girl’s disappearance. Kayla Unbehaun, who turned 15 in January, was 9 years old when her mother, Heather Unbehaun, abducted her during a parental visit with her parents in Wheaton. According to an arrest record, the mother of the girl was detained in Asheville, North Carolina, on a fugitive charge. NBC News reports that she will likely be extradited to Illinois.
An Asheville woman at Plato’s Closet recognized Unbehaun from “published media” about the case, according to police, and contacted them. “I’m so happy Kayla is safe and sound at home. Ryan Iskerka, Kayla’s father, issued a statement through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on Monday. “I want to thank the South Elgin Police Department, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and all of the law enforcement agencies who assisted with her case,” he said. We ask for privacy as we reacquaint ourselves with one another and figure out this new beginning, he continued.
Kayla vanished on July 4, 2017, in Wheaton, Illinois, according to NBC. According to a GoFundMe page set up by Kayla’s father, he was meant to pick up his daughter from Heather Unbehaun on July 5, 2017, however the two never showed up. Iskerka said that a judge had ordered the swap. On the top of her car, Heather was last seen gathering up her possessions. In November 2022, an episode of the Netflix series “Unsolved Mysteries” included a segment about Kayla’s disappearance.
According to NBC Chicago, a kidnapping warrant for Heather Unbehaun was issued by the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office. It’s unclear if she has retained legal representation. According to the TV station, Kayla was given into the custody of the North Carolina Division of Social Services. According to the news source, she will likely be reunited with her family and returned to Illinois.