A young child kidnapped by her mother in July 2017 has been found thanks to her appearance on Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries reboot.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that Kayla Unbehaun, who was nine years old when she was abducted, was located in Asheville, North Carolina.
Her mother, Heather Unhebhaun, was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of taking her away from South Elgin, Illinois.
Kayla was just nine years old when her non-custodial mother took her.
According to local authorities, Kayla’s father was unable to find his daughter when he went to pick her up from her mother’s house on July 5. Heather is accused of packing her car and leaving with Kayla on July 4.
Since she disappeared, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has shared a picture of nine-year-old Kayla online along with an age-progression shot. A Facebook group was created to spread the word, and the local news would sometimes feature an article about her abduction.
Kayla also had an appearance on the Netflix version of Unsolved Mysteries, which finally led to her being saved.
According to WSOC-TV, a business owner who had saw an episode of the show allegedly spotted Kayla and called the police.
After Heather was taken into custody, Kayla, who is now 15 years old, was placed in protective custody.
“I’m thrilled that Kayla made it home safely. I would want to thank the South Elgin Police Department, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and any other law enforcement agencies that provided assistance in her case. In addition, I would want to thank all of the supporters of the “Bring Kayla Home” Facebook group, who were essential in preserving her story and increasing awareness. “As we rekindle our relationship and navigate this new beginning, we ask for privacy,” Kayla’s father stated in a statement.
Heather is being held on a $250,000 bond and is still awaiting extradition to Illinois.
