Kayla Unbehaun was 9 years old when she was reportedly kidnapped by her mother in Illinois. Six years later — and after being featured on Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries” — the girl has been found alive and safe in North Carolina.
On May 13, the now 15-year-old was shopping with her mother, Heather Unbehaun, at a Plato’s Closet in Asheville when a store employee recognized them and called police. Heather was arrested but has since been released after posting $250,000 bail, according to WLOS-TV.
South Elgin Police Department
Police said Kayla Unbehaun has now been reunited with her father in Illinois and is in good condition.
“I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe,” her father, Ryan Iserka, said in a statement to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “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. I also want to thank all of the followers on the ‘Bring Kayla Home’ Facebook page, who helped keep her story alive and were instrumental in spreading awareness. We ask for privacy as we get to know each other again and navigate this new beginning.”
At the time of Kayla’s disappearance, Iserka had full custody, while her mother had weekly visitation rights.