Kayla Unbehaun Case: Know Everything About The Missing Girl Rescued Due To Netflix Series Unsolved Mysteries

In a remarkable incident, a six-year-old missing person case was recently solved thanks to a Netflix true crime series. Kayla Unbehaun, a 15-year-old Illinois girl, disappeared in 2017 while on a camping trip with her mother.

It was believed that the mother, Heather Unbehaun ran off with Kayla due to conflicts with the father Ryan Iserka. The pair were involved in a custody battle, and Ryan had managed to obtain full custody of Kayla, something that didn’t sit well with Heather.

Kayla has now been found safe and healthy thanks to a Netflix viewer who recognised the girl from the series Unsolved Mysteries. She was taken into protective custody, and her mother was arrested on charges of kidnapping and child abduction.

The case has sparked interest in Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries, a docuseries consisting of cold cases and supernatural phenomena. Netflix rebooted the show in 2019, and Kayla Unbehaun’s story was covered in episode 9 of volume 3. Read on to know who is Kayla Unbehaun and her incredible rescue after 6 years.

What is the Kayla Unbehaun Case?

Kayla Unbehaun was 9 when she disappeared in July 2017. Her parents Ryan Iserka and Heather Unbehaun were involved in an intense custody battle. The court had awarded full custody of Kayla to Ryan, with Unbehaun allowed unsupervised visits. As per Ryan’s attorney, Ms Unbehaun was “messing with the medical and health issues” for Kayla.

On the July 4 weekend, Kayla went to a parade with her mother. When Iserka went to pick up his daughter, Unbehaun’s family told him that she and Kayla went on a camping trip and never returned. Iserka filed a missing person complaint for both his ex-wife and daughter. After an investigation, a felony warrant for kidnapping was issued for Heather Unbehaun on July 28, 2017. The pair have been missing ever since.

How was Kayla Unbehaun Found?

Kayla Unbehaun’s case was featured in the rebooted Unsolved Mysteries docuseries on Netflix. There have been several instances in history when true crime documentaries have helped solve cold cases, but the Kayla Unbehaun case is the most recent one.

Episode 9 of volume 3 of Unsolved Mysteries was based on parental abductions and also touched on Kayla’s case. An eagle-eyed viewer spotted Kayla at a shop in Asheville, North Carolina. The unidentified person notified a store employee, who informed the police. Heather Unbehaun was taken into custody by the police but is out on bond. She faces dire charges of child abduction.

Kayla has now been reunited with her father, who is said to be “overjoyed” to meet his daughter after six years. In a heartfelt statement released via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Iserka said, “We ask for privacy as we get to know each other again and navigate this new beginning,” Stay tuned for more updates on the story.