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

[{"selector":"#anim-3f6ddff3-551f-4b08-ad51-8529e595b370","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b541493e-b6a1-49ab-8a36-5f46799bad4e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74117508-34aa-49cc-9ff7-48fd5fc5e9d0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 112.48726%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said on Facebook that an Illinois child who went missing six years ago was found safe in North Carolina. In July 2017, Heather Unbehaun stole her 9-year-old daughter Kayla from South Elgin, Illinois, 45 miles northwest of Chicago.

[{"selector":"#anim-b004f44e-2e4d-4a5b-82c9-3a6806bec317","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f298ceae-c17f-4b31-aefc-8c8eeac67010","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a860aad5-2f4a-4178-90c9-3bb434283934","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 117.61391%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Netflix's 2022 "Unsolved Mysteries" episode ended with Kayla and her mother's photos. ABC Chicago reported that a North Carolina store owner who saw the show identified the girl at an Asheville shopping area and alerted authorities. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said on Facebook that an Illinois child who went missing six years ago was found safe in North Carolina.

[{"selector":"#anim-95570271-b527-4c24-af44-85bd219dbe2a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0042d8c2-b167-449f-bb05-ecfd67277db3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27a0e329-a2f3-4d9c-90d1-77e31de19e0a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 130.52690%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In July 2017, Heather Unbehaun stole her 9-year-old daughter Kayla from South Elgin, Illinois, 45 miles northwest of Chicago. Netflix's 2022 "Unsolved Mysteries" episode ended with Kayla and her mother's photos. ABC Chicago reported that a North Carolina store owner who saw the show identified the girl at an Asheville shopping area and alerted authorities.

[{"selector":"#anim-7d9b46ec-12e7-45a1-93d9-9bfc7350b844","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cde4f5c5-d183-4e9e-a5b4-cba6c971ff77","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-496b1185-f1dc-4342-8034-1885a9620bc4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 114.32212%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Kayla vanished—what happened? After a court-ordered visitation in Wheaton, Illinois, the girl's father couldn't find her. The Athens Banner-Herald stated that her mother left with Kayla in her car. Police believed they visited Athens, Georgia.

[{"selector":"#anim-510713fb-f54c-4aed-9452-6a9a994ac2a2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a4671ae-6ecb-4b9b-b507-4a463b4adc97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55db9629-c4c7-47a9-ae47-f846ffb91de5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 117.61391%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The source said that her mother received a felony kidnapping warrant on July 29, 2017. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said that the girl's mother had been absent from social media since her disappearance. The Athens Banner-Herald said that her mother wanted to live off-grid and carefree before the kidnapping. She recently sold her automobile.

[{"selector":"#anim-3c40b11a-82ec-4247-86bf-b6820d3d9e56","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-daf1ace1-018d-4895-9f2f-e74c749305f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb493513-a6a0-417a-a81b-1f32604908d1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 126.01307%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Heather took Kayla to Athens without a visitation agreement, Kayla's father said. After several court hearings, the girl's father was allowed to visit her in Illinois during school breaks. Her mother refused, claiming medical grounds.

[{"selector":"#anim-46696431-0077-47fe-9cc9-913efc0d3f84","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0cd54498-6c71-4bee-a368-91ea97d94024","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-425d5bb0-52bb-413f-b1b8-3448399f5aee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 106.23861%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In January 2017, Kayla moved in with her father, his wife, and their two children after he was granted full custody. The Athens Banner-Herald reported the girl's disappearance in July 2017 after weekly visits with her mother. In 2020, authorities shared age-progression images of the girl and requested for help finding her.

[{"selector":"#anim-86189ef6-98c8-44c3-8f55-72229c404a52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b923519d-8f52-4114-ad07-72cf9e1fbd01","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9e92acd-7b63-49b2-a8f3-45070741e529","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 124.34133%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Her father kept posting about her on Facebook, including a birthday tribute in January 2021. "I love you forever and I hope you're safe, happy and I'm always looking forward to seeing you again someday," he said, posting a baby photo of his missing daughter.

[{"selector":"#anim-3dc3a556-5795-4957-9540-a6936372196e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":1700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9277ccc8-c988-4c8f-9b09-297753f336e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58e4f191-6380-4fd3-b5ac-072bff9f971f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 113.95891%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":1400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] I think about you and pray for you every day. I adore you unconditionally. You're always welcome in my arms and our home." Her father requested privacy and hinted at a hard road ahead in his latest statement after she was found. "We ask for privacy as we get to know each other again and navigate this new beginning," he wrote.

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