Kayla Unbehaun, Who Vanished at 9, Was Found after Dad Prayed Every Day for 6 Years to Find Her Alive

Heather Unbehaun, once at the center of a highly publicized child abduction case, has voluntarily surrendered to authorities after years on the run. Accused of abducting her daughter, Kayla, from South Elgin, Illinois, she is now being held without bail at the Kane County Adult Justice Center on charges of child abduction.

Kayla was recently found safe in North Carolina and reunited with her father, Ryan Iserka, who held custodial rights. Unbehaun was arrested in North Carolina based on a fugitive warrant and was initially held on a $250,000 bond before posting bail.The abduction occurred after Heather and Kayla left a parade in South Elgin for what was believed to be a camping trip but never returned. A felony warrant was issued for Heather,

and the case remained unsolved for years until a breakthrough came when someone recognized Kayla from an episode of Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries. That tip led to Kayla’s safe recovery and renewed focus on the case. With Unbehaun now in custody, the long-running investigation appears to be nearing its resolution.

Ryan Iserka thanked law enforcement and supporters for reuniting him with Kayla. Heather Unbehaun’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning at the Kane County Judicial Center.