A girl has been found alive in the US state of North Carolina, six years after she was allegedly abducted by her mother.
Kayla Unbehaun's case was featured on Netflix's 'Unsolved Mysteries' TV series in November 2022.
Kayla was nine-years-old when she went missing in 2017 while in the care of her mother, Heather Unbehaun.
In January, she turned 15.
Kayla Unbehaun and her father Ryan Iskerka. Picture by: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children"I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe," her father Ryan Iskerka said in a statement.
"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," he added.
Heather Unbehaun (40) was arrested in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday, according to NBC.
Heather Unbehaun. Picture by: National Center for Missing & Exploited ChildrenShe was recognised from "published media" about the case by a woman at a clothes shop in Asheville, who contacted authorities, NBC Chicago reported.
She is expected to be extradited to Illinois.
The US National Center for Missing & Exploited Children previously said Heather Unbehaun was charged with felony kidnapping.
In early 2017, Mr Iskerka was granted full custody of Kayla - who was last seen in her mother's care following a parade on July 4th that year.
Mr Iskerka was expected to meet Unbehaun on July 5th to pick up his daughter in a court-ordered exchange at her house, but the pair were not there.
Ms Unbehaun's family told Mr Iskerka they had not yet come back from a camping trip, and they did not know where she was.
An archive video about the case from the US National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is below:
Additional reporting: IRN
