Kayla Unbehaun, the young girl who vanished in July 2017 while in her mother’s care, has resurfaced in North Carolina, astonishingly discovered alive after almost half a dozen years of being missing. Now at 15, her unexpected reappearance has stirred considerable attention, particularly when her gripping tale was showcased on a captivating episode of Unsolved Mysteries streamed on Netflix, causing a massive online frenzy in November 2022.
When Kayla was found, she was put under the authority of the North Carolina Division of Social Administrations and has since been brought together with her dad, Ryan Iskerka – who recorded the report for someone who has gone missing for his girl and her mom quite a while back. Kayla is presently back in her old neighborhood in Illinois.
An Unsolved Mysteries viewer has closed a case!
A store owner in North Carolina recognized Kayla Unbehaun — who was abducted in 2017 by her non-custodial mother — from the roll call in Volume 3, Episode 9. Kayla, now 15, is expected to return to her family in Illinois. pic.twitter.com/q8mTegq6xN
— Netflix (@netflix) May 16, 2023
Kayla’s mom, Heather Unbehaun, was captured on Saturday and is confronting a criminal accusation – she was initially accused of hijacking her little girl in late July, approximately three weeks after her vanishing. On Tuesday, Heather was delivered on a $250,000 bond and has a trial planned for July 11.
It was on July 4, 2017, that Kayla Unbehaun was last seen with her mother. According to family members, Heather was allegedly taking her daughter on a camping trip to Wisconsin and was seen packing her belongings onto the top of her vehicle after a Fourth of July parade. That was the last they were caught.
UPDATE: Kayla Unbehaun, who was abducted in 2017 by her non-custodial mother Heather, has been found safe. A store owner in North Carolina recognized Kayla, now 15, from the roll call in Volume 3, Episode 9 “Abducted by a Parent” on @Netflix. Heather was arrested over the… pic.twitter.com/7QswAjUvLU
— Unsolved Mysteries (@Unsolved) May 16, 2023
Ryan Iskerka, who had full guardianship of his girl at that point, was hoping to meet Heather and Kayla on July 5 for a court-requested trade, however, developed stress when they neglected to appear. He recorded a report for someone who had gone missing for the two of them the next day and made a GoFundMe account on July 9, 2017.
In the GoFundMe depiction, Iskerka guaranteed that Kayla’s mom neglected to ‘appear for a trial motioned by her on Friday, June seventh.’ He affirmed that any gifts will go towards recruiting a confidential examiner and any extra costs connected with their hunt and confident return. He raised around $2,500.
A 9-year-old girl who was missing for six years is back home tonight thanks to coverage of her case on the Netflix series “Unsolved Mysteries.” Kayla Unbehaun disappeared from Illinois in 2017 and was found in Asheville, N.C. Her mother is now in custody: https://t.co/jcn25AK64K pic.twitter.com/Sb8U9NkaSl
— The National Desk (@TND) May 17, 2023
Only half a month after the fact, specialists gave a capture warrant for Kayla’s mom, who was confronting a lawful offense-grabbing charge. Presently almost six years after the fact, Kayla Unbehaun has been seen as protected and has been brought together with her loved ones. In the interim, Heather has been captured (and delivered) and is currently confronting a potential jail sentence.
Ryan Iskerka Excited to Have His Girl, Kayla Unbehaun, Back
On Monday, the Public Community for Missing and Took Advantage of Youngsters took to their web-based entertainment to uncover the arrival of Kayla Unbehaun and share an assertion from the 15-year-old’s dad, Ryan Iskerka – who was ‘thrilled’ to discover that he presently has his little girl back. It required six years, however, it’s slow on the uptake, but still good enough.
BREAKING NEWS ‼️
NCMEC is excited to share that Kayla Unbehaun has been FOUND SAFE in North Carolina!
Kayla was only 9 years old when she was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Heather Unbehaun from South Elgin, Illinois on July 5, 2017. Kayla’s dad, Ryan asked NCMEC to… pic.twitter.com/5O7bpEjIhT
— National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (@MissingKids) May 16, 2023
“The fact that Kayla is home safe makes me invigorated. I need to thank the South Elgin Police Division, the Public Place for Missing and Took advantage of Kids and all of the policing who helped with her case,” he wrote in the articulation – requesting security as the dad little girl ‘explore this fresh start.’
Kayla Unbehaun was abducted by her non-custodial mother Heather Unbehaun
Her mother was arrested last weekend and is being held on a $250,000 bond pic.twitter.com/PFWM9lGV7k— News News News (@NewsNew97351204) May 16, 2023
Iskerka additionally said thanks to every individual who upheld her story throughout the course of recent years, particularly those that followed the ‘Bring Kayla Home’ Facebook page – which he attributed for assisting with keeping ‘her story alive and were instrumental in spreading mindfulness.’ Because of their tirelessness, his girl is at last home.
Boy,, this is a hard one. I firmly believe a young child belongs with her mother unless there are horrific circumstances of neglect or abuse. This woman must have been desperate to do this and I’m sure it was out of love, I think at this stage the child’s wishes should be upheld.