At the time, her father had full custody of Kayla and her mother only had visitation rights.
A business owner had seen a Netflix documentary called “Unsolved Mysteries” that mentioned the case of the girl, now 15.
While working, he saw a teenage girl with her mother, Heather Unbehaun, and thought the girl looked a lot like the one on the show. He was not wrong.
“I’m asking for privacy for this moment, when we get to know each other again,” said father Ryan after bringing his daughter back after six years of suffering.
The minor’s father had custody of the girl at the time of the abduction and the now-custodial mother was able to meet her daughter twice a week. During one of the visits, he took the girl and absconded.
Heather Unbehoun, 40, faces a charge of child theft and is being held on $250,000 bail following her arrest in Asheville over the weekend.
On a Facebook page called “Bringing Kayla Home,” Ryan wrote a tribute to his daughter earlier this year on her 15th birthday, Jan. 5.
“I love you and I miss you so much. I can’t wait for the day I see you again, hoping every day I wake up will be that day. It’s never too soon. I think about you all day.” I hope and pray that you are safe, happy and come back in my life soon.” “There are so many others who love you and miss you.”
“You are a young woman now with your own thoughts and opinions. I hope you are old enough to realize that you only know half the story from one perspective,” she continued. “I hope you can remember the truth of how things were when we could all be together, how good things really were.”
“The truth is that I am still alive and I love you with every beat of my heart. I love you so much that there is no limit to measure it. I love you since you were alive, When you were just a possibility,” the post ended. “I’ve dreamed of being your grandfather ever since I was a little boy. And I’ve loved you through it all, no matter what happens and I will always love you. I’ve never wanted to do anything better for you.” I didn’t want to, and I think part of it has to do with being in other people’s lives”.
Unsolved Mysteries, the Netflix series, premiered in 2020 and has three seasons, the last in 2022.
