In July 2017, a young girl abducted by her mother was ultimately located after appearing on Netflix’s reboot of Unsolved Mysteries. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children confirmed that Kayla Unbehaun—who was nine at the time—was found in Asheville, North Carolina. Her mother, Heather Unhebhaun, accused of taking her from South Elgin, Illinois, has been arrested.
Local reports noted that Kayla’s father arrived at her mother’s home on July 5 expecting to pick her up, only to discover she was missing, as Heather allegedly left with Kayla on July 4. In the wake of her disappearance, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children circulated both a picture of nine-year-old Kayla and an age-progressed image online, while a Facebook page was set up to boost awareness and her case periodically appeared in local news.
Kayla’s appearance on the Netflix series ultimately led to her rescue when, according to WSOC-TV, a store owner recognized her from the show and alerted the police. Consequently, Heather was arrested, and Kayla, now 15, was placed in protective custody.
Expressing his relief, Kayla’s father said, “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.”
At the time of the abduction, Kayla was just nine years old when taken by her non-custodial mother.