A girl missing from South Elgin for nearly six years was found safe in North Carolina last weekend after an employee of a used clothing store recalled seeing her plight chronicled on an episode of a Netflix program, according to law enforcement authorities and a children’s advocacy group.

Kayla Unbehaun was 9 when she was allegedly abducted by her noncustodial mother, Heather Unbehaun, from South Elgin in July 2017, South Elgin police said Tuesday.

Kayla, now 15, is in good condition and good spirits since being reunited with her family, police said in a news release.

Ryan Iskerka, the girl’s father, said in a statement, “I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. I want to thank (police), 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.”

Iskerka declined to comment to the Tribune and referred all media requests to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

An employee of a Plato’s Closet store in Asheville, North Carolina, recognized Kayla after seeing her featured in an episode of Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries,” according to the Kane County state’s attorney’s office and Leemie Kahng-Sofer, a director in the missing children division of NCMEC.

South Elgin police confirmed that the store alerted Asheville police and verified the identities of the girl and her mother. Kayla was taken into protective custody until her father could pick her up, police said in a news release Tuesday.

Heather Unbehaun, who had been charged with child abduction in 2017 in Illinois, was taken into custody Saturday in North Carolina but released from the Buncombe County Detention Facility in North Carolina after posting $25,000 bond, authorities said.

She declined to waive extradition and faces a new charge of felony extradition – fugitive from another state, according to the Kane County state attorney’s office.

After Heather Unbehaun was charged in July 2017, a warrant for her arrest was issued, authorities said.

South Elgin police Sgt. Mike Doty said at the time that the courts granted Iskerka custody of his daughter in March 2017, and Unbehaun was given visitation rights.

Iskerka said then he last saw his daughter before she went to visit her mother — who was living in Wheaton at the time — prior to the July 4 holiday that same year.

In a video interview he gave to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Kayla went missing, Iskerka said he stopped after work July 5 to pick up his daughter and was told by Unbehaun’s family members that the mother and daughter had gone camping and had not returned. They did not know where the two were.

Iskerka had a five-year relationship with Heather Unbehaun, and Kayla is the couple’s only child, the Elgin Courier-News reported in 2018. Until Monday, he hadn’t seen his daughter since July 4, 2017.

Authorities believed Kayla and her mother had possibly been living in the Athens, Georgia, area, according to the Courier-News story.

“The South Elgin Police Department’s Investigations division has worked tirelessly on following up on every lead received, traveled across the United States to various locations, and worked with numerous other law enforcement agencies to locate the missing girl and Heather,” South Elgin police said in the news release Tuesday.

In posts on social media, Iskerka and other relatives have chronicled the pain of missing Kayla over the years.

In early January, the father posted on Facebook wishing his daughter a happy birthday, adding that he thinks of her every day.

“I love you and miss you so much,” the message said. “I wonder what you are told about me and if you would want to see me ever again after whatever you have been told. You are a young woman now with your own thoughts and opinions. I hope you are old enough to realize you only know half of the story from one point of view. I hope you could remember truth about how things were when we were all able to be together, how good things really were.”

The post adds that “the truth is I’m still alive and love you with every beat of my heart,” and is signed “Love Dada.”

On Dec. 25, 2021, he posted on Facebook wishing her merry Christmas.

“This time of year is especially difficult for me and your family here because we all get together and see each other but (you’re) not here and we don’t know where you are or how you are doing,” the post said. “We are all still thinking of you all the time, we love you very much and we all hope to have you back in our lives soon.”

An aunt of Kayla’s posted a picture of “our ever-growing family, in case you can see it,” with an image of a staircase full of adults and children next to a decorated Christmas tree.

“It is strange to see everyone grow up and not know what you look like, where you go to school, what are your likes and hobbies, etc.,” the message said. “We have so much to catch up on when we see you again. Merry Christmas, Kayla — wherever you are.”

In 2017, Iskerka created a GoFundMe page called “Bring Kayla Home Safe,” to raise funds to hire a private investigator to help find his daughter; the site raised $2,525.

The page includes a YouTube video of Kayla, which shows the little girl with sandy brown hair and blue eyes playing with her pet gecko, Gary.

“He likes to climb on things. We have a little cage over there,” the little girl explained to the camera, as the reptile climbs onto her shoulder. “He eats crickets. … He’s really cute.”

“The safety and return of Kayla is the top priority of all of my family and I and any help we receive through this funding is greatly appreciated,” the message on the site said.

NCMEC has a team of victim advocates and professionals who worked directly with Iskerka during Kayla’s disappearance, helping provide mental health resources and support with media outreach.

Their forensic imaging artists worked to create an accurate image of Kayla for the Netflix media push, merging features from reference photos with photos of relatives and knowledge about how the children’s faces develop.

“I can say that we’re absolutely thrilled any time we have a long-term recovery like this or really any recovery,” said Kahng-Sofer. “This case is really an amazing example of why we should always keep hope alive.”

Family abductions are the second most common type of case reported to the center, with runaways being the most common, she said.

In 2022, NCMEC responded to 2,741 requests for information to support the recovery of missing children.

“It’s a huge healing journey that (Kayla) has ahead of her and, and also her father,” Leemie Kahng-Sofer said.

South Elgin police said this is an ongoing investigation. They ask that anyone with information about this case contact their investigations division at 847-741-2151.

Megan Jones of the Beacon-News contributed.