Abducted girl featured on Netflix’s ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ reboot found safe in North Carolina

Kayla Unbehaun, 15, was just 9 years old when she went missing in 2017 while in the care of her non-custodial mother, Heather Unbehaun.

Kayla’s father, Ryan Iserka, told CNN affiliate WBBM that he was granted full custody of his daughter in early 2017, with Unbehaun allowed supervised visits. However, when he went to pick up his daughter on July 5, he realized that she and her mother had not returned from a camping trip, WBBM reported the following year.

Kayla Unbehaun/ National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

A non-profit center, which aids families in finding American children abducted by relatives or strangers or who run away, noted that a felony warrant for kidnapping was issued for Unbehaun on July 28, 2017. As per the organization, the number of reports of missing children filed with the FBI in 2022, with possible duplicates, was nearly 360,000.

Since Kayla went missing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shared an image online of her from the time she was nine as well as an age-progression photo. Every now and then, the media published articles about Kayla in hopes of finding her.

After watching a recent episode of the series, a store owner recognized Kayla and contacted the police. She and her mother were arrested, and Kayla, now 15, was taken into protective custody.

Iserka connected with his daughter in North Carolina on Sunday, and they drove back to Illinois together, said John Vojta, an attorney for Kayla’s custodial father.

“I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. 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,” Kayla’s father said in a statement.

Unbehaun faces a charge of child abduction, which is a Class 4 felony. She is currently being held on a $250,000 bond and is awaiting extradition to Illinois.

Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.

Bored Daddy

Love and Peace

Monica Pop
Monica Pop
Monica Pop is a senior writer for Bored Daddy magazine covering the latest trending and popular articles across the United States and around the world.

More from author

Related posts

Latest posts

80s movie bombshell unrecognizable after quitting fame and escaping stalker nightmare! Can you guess who?

Fans of The Fall Guy might remember Heather Thomas as the stunning stunt double-turned-bounty hunter who shared the screen with Lee Majors in the...

Man’s final wish to see his dog before execution leads to an unforgettable moment that changed everything

A touching story from a rural town found its way to the hearts of many. It wasn't a story of crime and punishment, as...

My bride slipped me a note asking me to ‘say no at the altar’ — it sounded crazy, but I trusted her plan

When I met Emily, I somehow felt that she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. From the...

Experts Are Shedding Light on the ‘Death Rattle’ Phenomenon Before Passing

When someone is nearing the end of life, their body undergoes many changes, some of which may occur months before their passing. However, in...

Major security arrest tightens net around presidential protection

50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones, a woman from Indiana, was arrested after joining a demonstration near the White House and charged with two felony counts...

Tom Cruise rejected Donald Trump: The untold story behind the snub

Donald Trump extended an invitation to actor Tom Cruise to be a recipient of the Kennedy Center's Lifetime Achievement this year but the Mission...