• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Woman accused of abducting girl who was finally found 6 years later turns herself in

Home> News

Updated 09:47 18 May 2023 GMT+1Published 07:30 18 May 2023 GMT+1

Woman accused of abducting girl who was finally found 6 years later turns herself in

The woman accused of abducting Kayla Unbehaun has finally turned herself in to authorities

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle

The woman accused of abducting a girl after she was found six years later has finally turned herself in to authorities.

Kayla Unbehaun was last seen on July 4, 2017 and was just nine-years-old when she was abducted by her non-custodial mother.

After over half a decade, Kayla, now 15, has finally been found and her abductor has handed herself over to Illinois police, currently facing kidnapping and child abduction charges.

Advert

The news of Kayla's disappearance first broke when her father, Ryan, who had full custody of the child, went to pick her up from her mother's house on July 5, 2017 and discovered she was not there.

In the years following her vanishing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) broadcasted an alert online and posted age-progression photos to show how Kayla may look in present times.

Kayla Unbehaun has finally been found after six years.
NCMEC

But luckily, after over half a decade, a store owner recognised the child at a shopping center in Asheville, North Carolina, over the weekend and alerted police right away.

Advert

The now-teenager was found, with the NCMEC announcing they were 'excited to share that Kayla Unbehaun has been FOUND SAFE in North Carolina!'

Kayla’s dad asked NCMEC to share a statement on his behalf, which read: "I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. I want to thank @ElginPDFD, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and all of the law enforcement agencies who assisted with her case.

"We ask for privacy as we get to know each other again and navigate this new beginning."

The woman accused of abducting the child all those years ago has since come forward and surrendered herself to authorities.

Advert

Heather Unbehaun, Kayla's mother, was being held at the Kane County Adult Justice Centre in Illinois without bond on an abduction charge, according to the jail.

Kayla's mother, Heather Unbehaun, has surrendered herself to authorities.
ABC

According to the NCMEC, a felony warrant for kidnapping was first issued for Heather on July 28, 2017.

After turning herself in, Heather was subsequently arrested on Saturday (13 May) on a fugitive warrant out of Illinois on kidnapping and child abduction charges and was held on a $376,107 bond while she awaited extradition, Buncombe County, North Carolina, Deputy Clerk Cory Alexander told CNN on Tuesday (16 May).

Advert

Heath Unbehaun is next set to appear in court at the Kane County Judicial Centre this following Wednesday morning (24 May), per online jail records.

UNILAD has reached out to the Kane County Adult Justice Centre for comment.

Featured Image Credit: NCMEC / CNN

Topics: US News, News, Crime

Rhiannon Ingle
Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
7 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Experts reveal why millennials are abandoning organized religion and what they're doing instead

    Americans are becoming increasingly disassociated with traditional religion, according to a new study's in-depth analysis of millennials

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Underrated Jennifer Lawrence movie that fans say is 'the best they've ever seen' is leaving Prime very soon

    The movie saw Jennifer Lawrence get her first Oscar nomination

    Film & TV
  • 8 hours ago

    'Cause' of tragic nightclub roof collapse that killed 236 people revealed as owners are arrested

    The roof of the Dominican Republic-based club collapsed in April

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Rare resurfaced interview with man who survived 9/11 from 72nd floor as same tower collapsed behind him

    The man was speaking to a journalist when the tower he'd just been in crumbled in front of him

    News
  • Abducted boy, 7, who was featured on Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries has been found seven years later
  • Body of young woman discovered in area sparks more serial killer fears after multiple people found dead within months
  • Man who was abducted aged six is found alive 73 years later after niece’s incredible search for the truth
  • Haunting new details emerge in murder of 12-year-old girl who was found dead after sneaking out of home