Discover the compelling story of Kayla Unbehaun missing girl, a young girl who went missing under distressing circumstances. Kayla Unbehaun, known as the missing girl in this heart-wrenching tale, was abducted by her non-custodial mother in Illinois six years ago. After a relentless search and the help of dedicated authorities, Kayla was found safe and reunited with her father. Follow the twists and turns of this captivating journey on ecapitalhouse.com.vn, where we delve into the details, shed light on the investigation, and provide insights into the recovery process. Join us as we unravel the remarkable story of Kayla Unbehaun, a true testament to resilience and the power of hope.
I. Kayla Unbehaun missing girl just found in North Carolina
A teenage girl who had been abducted six years ago in Illinois by her non-custodial mother has been found safe in North Carolina.
The girl, named Kayla Unbehaun, who recently turned 15, went missing when she was 9 years old in 2017 while under the care of her mother, Heather Unbehaun. The case gained attention after it was featured on the Netflix series “Unsolved Mysteries.”
Recently, a woman at Plato’s Closet in Asheville, North Carolina, recognized Kayla from media coverage about the case and promptly contacted the authorities. As a result, Heather Unbehaun, now 40 years old, was arrested on a fugitive charge on Saturday in Asheville. She was later released on bond, and her next court appearance is scheduled for July 11.
The safe recovery of Kayla brings an end to a six-year search for her and provides hope to families and authorities involved in similar cases.
II. The incident surrounding Kayla Unbehaun’s disappearance
Kayla Unbehaun, who was abducted at the age of 9, has been found safe thanks to a remarkable chain of events.
According to the South Elgin Police in Illinois, the last known sighting of Unbehaun was on July 4, 2017. Her father, Ryan Iserka, had full custody of her, but when he went to pick her up from her mother’s house, she was not there.
For a span of six years, both Unbehaun and her mother remained missing.
Asheville Police Lieutenant Jonathan Brown commented on the unusual nature of their ability to stay off the grid for such an extended period. Normally, a trail of digital breadcrumbs is left behind, making tracking relatively straightforward.
Last year, Netflix released a new season of “Unsolved Mysteries” which included an episode focused on parental abductions.
Interestingly, Unbehaun’s story was not the central theme of the episode. Instead, her picture appeared briefly among a roster of missing individuals at the episode’s conclusion, with digitally-aged progression.
In a stroke of luck, a minor working at a shopping center in Asheville recognized Unbehaun from the Netflix series.
“The media plays a vital role in the recovery of missing children,” stated Callahan Walsh of the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. “Even in long-term cases like this, the more we share the stories of these missing children and circulate their images to the public, the greater the chances of their safe recovery.”
Expressing his joy, Unbehaun’s father said, “I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe… We kindly request privacy as we reunite and navigate this fresh start.”
As for her mother, Heather Unbehaun, 40, she is currently in custody and facing charges of child abduction. She has been booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility with a secured bond of $250,000.
III. Cold case warms up after media coverage
Despite a thorough investigation into the suspected abduction in 2017, the case eventually went cold.
In April 2023, after featuring on Unsolved Mysteries and with the assistance of age progression technology from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a photo of Kayla at the age of 15 was released.
Remarkably, Kayla was discovered in a grocery store in North Carolina, hundreds of miles away from where she initially went missing.
Unsolved Mysteries, which had a long history on network television before being revived by Netflix in 2008, played a role in highlighting cases of family abductions. However, Kayla’s case was not the primary focus of the episode. Instead, it was part of a brief segment displaying age progressions of missing children throughout the years.
Heather Unbehaun, Kayla’s mother and now 40 years old, was arrested in Asheville, North Carolina over the weekend and is scheduled for her next court appearance on July 11th, as reported by ABC News.
Callahan Walsh of the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children emphasized the significance of the media in the recovery of missing children, stating, “Even in these long-term cases, the more we share the stories of these missing children and distribute their images to the public, the higher the likelihood of their recovery.”
IV. Heather Unbehaun has been arrested by Asheville police
Heather Unbehaun was arrested by Asheville police officers on May 13, shortly before 7:30 p.m., according to the local police department. At that time, 15-year-old Kayla was taken into the custody of the North Carolina Division of Social Services and later reunited with her father, Ryan Iskerka.
Following her arrest, Unbehaun was initially booked into a North Carolina jail with a secured bond set at $250,000. The intention was to extradite her to Illinois, as stated by the Asheville police. However, she was released on bail on Tuesday morning.
Subsequently, on Wednesday, Unbehaun was booked into a jail in Kane County, Illinois, where the alleged kidnapping occurred, as indicated by jail records.
According to WLS-TV in Chicago, Unbehaun voluntarily returned to Kane County and surrendered herself. She was released once again after posting a $10,000 bond. However, she has been ordered to wear a GPS tracking monitor, as reported by the local ABC affiliate.
V. Watch Kayla Unbehaun missing girl just found in North Carolina vanished with her mother 6 years ago
