Everything to know about 'Unsolved Mysteries' case of missing Illinois girl, Kayla Unbehaun

Chris Sims, USA TODAY NETWORK
·3 min read
Kayla Unbehaun as she would've looked at 11 years old (left) and 14 years old (right). She was abducted in July 2017 at just 9 years old. She was found safe in North Carolina in May 2023.
Kayla Unbehaun as she would've looked at 11 years old (left) and 14 years old (right). She was abducted in July 2017 at just 9 years old. She was found safe in North Carolina in May 2023.

Fifteen-year-old Kayla Unbehaun has captured national attention since she was found safe in North Carolina six years after being abducted in Illinois.

Unbehaun was found safe in Asheville, N.C., after being recognized by a store owner who watched an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries" on Netflix.

Police in her hometown of South Elgin, Illinois, have been doing all they can to spread the news that she has been recovered safely.

"This has become a national news story - for good reason - it's a story of hope and miracles!" South Elgin police wrote on Facebook.

Kayla Unbehaun found: Girl abducted in Illinois in 2017 found safe in North Carolina after 'Unsolved Mysteries' episode

Here's everything we know about her and the case:

What 'Unsolved Mysteries' episode features Kayla Unbehaun on Netflix?

The episode can be found on volume 3, episode 9 of Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries" series.

Who is Kayla Unbehaun?

Kayla Unbehaun is a 15-year-old girl who was abducted from South Elgin, Illinois, in July of 2017 when she was just 9 years old, according to police.

Who is Heather Unbehaun?

Heather Unbehaun is the noncustodial mother of Kayla Unbehaun. An extraditable national arrest warrant was issued for Heather on July 28, 2017, after the South Elgin Police Department consulted the Kane County State's Attorney's Office with details of the child's disappearance. Kayla was entered into the national database for missing children.

Who is Ryan Iserka?

Ryan Iserka is Kayla Unbehaun's father. He has been searching for Unbehaun since her disappearance in 2017.

From the archives: Woman and kidnapped child may be 'hiding in plain sight' in Athens

Is Kayla Unbehaun still missing?

No. Police say she was found safe May 13 in Asheville, North Carolina, after a store owner recognized Unbehaun from watching "Unsolved Mysteries" on Netflix and notified the Asheville Police Department.

Asheville police coordinated with South Elgin police to confirm the identities of both Kayla and Heather Unbehaun. Heather Unbehaun was arrested on her warrant and Kayla Unbehaun was held in protective custody until Iserka could pick her up.

Heather Unbehaun posted bond and has been released from the Buncombe County Detention Center in North Carolina.

Police consider the case to be an active investigation and encourage anyone with information about the case to contact the South Elgin Police Department at (847) 741-2151.

What happened the day Kayla Unbehaun was abducted?

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, Iserka was awarded full custody in 2017, where Kayla would reside with his wife and her two children. Heather Unbehaun was allowed weekly visitations.

Iserka traveled to Wheaton, Illinois, to pick up Kayla after a court-ordered house visitation back in July 2017, but Kayla and Heather were nowhere to be found, USA TODAY reported.

Police heard the pair may have traveled to the Athens area in Georgia as Heather had expressed a desire to live off the grid and sold her car. She had previously taken Kayla to Athens without a previous visitation arrangement, Iserka said at the time.

The Banner-Herald reported a felony warrant for kidnapping had been issued for Heather Unbehaun on July 29, 2017, asking anyone who saw the duo or the car they were in to contact authorities.

More: Girl abducted in Illinois in 2017 found safe in North Carolina after 'Unsolved Mysteries' episode

Where is Kayla Unbehaun now?

Police say Kayla Unbehaun has been reunited with her father, Iserka. The family is receiving social services to assist in the process.

“I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe," Iserka said through 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.”

Chris Sims is a digital producer for the Peoria Journal Star, a member of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Kayla Unbehaun found: What to know about the Unsolved Mysteries case