Six years ago, Kayla Unbehaun vanished from her Illinois hometown in an apparent abduction by her mother, who did not have custody. Six months ago, the nine-year-old’s photo appeared on an episode of the Netflix show Unsolved Mysteries about parental abductions, an age-progression image flashing on screen to depict what she would look like now. This month, someone at a North Carolina store recognised Kayla as a missing child — setting off a chain of events that led to her mother’s arrest and Kayla’s reunification with her father in the Midwest. Here’s everything we know about Kayla’s abduction and safe recovery — and the questions that remain unanswered in the case. A child and mother vanished on July 4th Kayla was born on 5 July 2008 to Ryan Iskerka and Heather Unbehaun in the western suburbs of Chicago. After the couple split, a judge awarded the child’s father permanent custody. Kayla was spending July 4th with her mother in 2017, however, and was scheduled to be returned to her father the next day, on her ninth birthday. “According to police interviews, Heather was last seen packing her belongings up to the roof of her car,” Mr Iskerka wrote in a GoFundMe established just days later. “Her closest family members indicated she went on a camping trip to an unknown location in Wisconsin and was expected to return on Wednesday July 5th at 7pm for a parenting time exchange with me. “Heather and Kayla did not show up for the court ordered exchange and the police were immediately contacted and an investigation was launched. It was discovered that all of Heather’s social media had been canceled and her phone turned off. As far as we know, no one has been able to reach her or has talked to her since the 4th of July. “Because of this, the following day I had filed a missing person’s report for both Kayla and Heather. Heather also did not show up for a court date motioned by her on Friday June 7th. Her lawyer had not talked to her for days, was unaware of what happened and was very concerned.” Mother charged with abduction as father pleads for help After Mr Iskerka filed the missing person’s reports, Ms Unbehaun was charged in 2017 with child abduction, a Class 4 felony, the Kane County State’s Attorney said Tuesday in a statement. A judge set her bail at $10,000 and, “since then, South Elgin police pursued numerous leads and tips, working with police agencies from around the country in an attempt to locate the child and Unbehaun.” Mr Iskerka, meanwhile, was appealing for donations and information, writing on the GoFundMe that he planned to use the assistance “to hire a private investigator and any additional cost concerning the search for them and their health and safety for when they are found. “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,” he wrote. Between July 2017 and May 2023, the page raised just over $2,500 toward its $10,000 goal, the last donation recorded on the site coming in nearly four years ago. In November, however, Kayla’s picture featured on an episode of Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries. At the end of Abducted by a Parent, the final instalment of the program’s third Netflix season, missing posters and age progression images are shown from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). For just under five seconds, a photo of Kayla at nine appears onscreen alongside a picture of what she might look like as a teenager. A Bring Kayla Home Facebook page, meanwhile, was also promoting the age progression image — sharing it as recently as 21 April. Created the same day as the GoFundMe — five days after Kayla was last seen in Wheaton with her mother — the page has more than 7,000 followers. Search meets unlikely ending Kayla and her mother were at Westgate Regional Shopping Center on Saturday evening (13 May) in Asheville, North Carolina, when they caught the notice of a person at upmarket consignment shop Plato’s Closet, according to authorities. That person “recognized Unbehaun and recalled that the child was missing,” Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office posted Tuesday on social media. “A store employee immediately contacted Asheville police, who contacted South Elgin police. “South Elgin police confirmed the identity of the two individuals as Heather Unbehaun and the missing child.” Ms Unbehauen, 40, was subsequently taken into custody, and Kayla has since been reunited with her father. Mr Iskerka, in a statement issued through the NCMEC, that he was “overjoyed that Kayla is home safe”. “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,” Mr Iskerka continued. “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.” South Elgin Chief of Police Jerry Krawczyk also thanked citizens across the country and other law enforcement agencies who worked so dedicatedly to help bring Kayla home. “We are overjoyed to report that the child is in good condition and in good spirits since being reunited with her father,” he said Tuesday in a release. Law enforcement agencies — and well-wishers — were celebrating across several states as the case offered hope to investigators and families looking for people who’ve been missing for years. “I certainly think this is a unique case,” Asheville Police Lt. Jonathan Brown told WLOS. “It is unusual, it’s not a case that we see routinely or often.” He marveled at how Kayla’s mother had managed to go undetected for years. “What’s most unusual is the ability to stay off the grid, if you will, for that period of time,” he said. “Typically we leave a technological bread crumb and those are usually very easy and quick to be tracked down. This was not.” What happens next Following Ms Unbehaun’s arrest in Buncombe County, she was charged with the felony offence of extradition, which she declined to waive. She posted $25,000 bond on Tuesday and was released from custody, then turned herself in the following day in Kane County, Illinois, where she was booked on the abduction charge. The 40-year-old appeared before Judge Julia Yetter on Thursday (18 May) and has been released on bond with an electronic monitoring device. Kayla’s father obtained an order of protection against Ms Unbehaun, who is barred from being within 1,000 feet of his residence and cannot leave Illinois without court permission, a Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office spokesman told The Independent. The 40-year-old’s next scheduled court date is 14 June. A Class 4 Felony in Illinois can carry a sentence of one to three years, often probationary. The Independent has reached out to lawyers for Mr Iskerka and Ms Unbehaun.

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Taylor Swift fans are taking concert etiquette to a whole new level, by wearing diapers so they don't miss a second of her performance. The running joke circulated on TikTok with one fan writing "The diaper rash and trench foot was worth this moment of Taylor Swift looking right at us." Another clip, that racked up almost 300,000 views showed a fan struggling with her oversized disposable pants. "It’s the most durable, the most absorbent," she said. While diehard fans believe they have come up with an innovative solution, fellow TikTokers in the comments weren't too keen on the idea. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "I think I would just hold it or very quickly go during a song I liked a bit less, I would never be able to actually go in a diaper and then linger in," one wrote, while another added: "If I can hold it on a flight from Ca to HI, I can hold it for a Taylor Swift concert." Meanwhile, a third added: "The bathrooms are emptyyyyy during the show, we sprinted, went, sprinted back and missed like 1/3 of a song we were okay missing." @sillygrlera the diaper rash and trench foot was worth this moment of taylor looking right at us? #delulu #taylorswift #erastour #foxboroughnight2 #gillettestadium #gilletten2 It comes after fans claim they suffered from feelings of forgetfulness following the star's sold-out tour. Speaking to Time, Jenna Tocatlian, 25, spoke about her experience at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. She said: "If I didn’t have the 5-minute video that my friend kindly took of me jamming to it, I probably would have told everyone that it didn’t happen." Many more took to Twitter with similar claims, with some saying they felt guilty for leaving the show with no core memories. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Taylor Swift announced last night that 1989 (Taylor's Version) is coming later this year - and Swifties correctly predicted the singer would share this news on this day (August 9) The pop star shared the exciting update with her fans during her last Los Angeles show after playing at the SoFi Stadium for six nights, concluding the US leg of The Eras Tour. "And so now, here we are on the last night of the U.S. leg of The Eras Tour in the eighth month of the year on the ninth day," she said, with the 8/9 alluding to the album title. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "You might have noticed there are some new outfits in the show. "There's something that I've been planning for a really, really, really ridiculously, embarrassingly long time, and instead of telling you about it, I think I'll just sort of show you," she added as the album cover appeared on the big screen with the October 27 release date. Swifties are of course thrilled at the news, but many in the dedicated fanbase saw this announcement coming with many accurately predicting it would happen on 8/9. "So we all know the tour ends on August 9, 8/9, 89 but I was sitting here curious, how many active weeks of tour would that be or like weeks she's had shows or weekends which would also be the number of she would've played on the whole tour," @amberpunkrose said. @amberpunkrose My sanity is gone #taylorswift #greenscreen #1989 #swiftie #taylorsversion ##erastour##tour##1989taylorsversion ##eastereggs After counting four times, she realised the answer was 19 - "She's ending the tour on 19-8/9, 1989," the TikToker concluded in the video posted last month. A viral TikTok by @swakbeauty asked "Is 1989 TV being announced on 8/9? She [Swift] almost let her out!" as a recent clip from The Eras Tour played of Swift singing 'Look What You Made Me Do' while dancers are dressed in her previous eras stuck in glass boxes. @swakbeauty Will 8/9 be the lucky day? ? #1989taylorsversion #LATSTheErasTour #lookwhatyoumademedo #latstheerastour #tstheerastour #taylorswift #erastour #latserastour #losangeles #sofistadium The clip referred to Swift almost releasing the dancer in the outfit from the 1989 era, teasing the new re-recording. There were also rumours circulating about Starbucks receiving a 1989 (Taylor's Version) playlist this week to play in stores, as @jessicagolich explained sharing a tip from celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi which suggested some news about the re-recording was coming soon. @jessicagolich #greenscreen Rumors are swirling that 8/9 is the day for 1989 TV announcement ?☕️? #starbucksplaylisttaylorswift #taylorswift1989tv #1989taylorsversion #taylorsversion1989 #swiftienews #taylorswiftnews #sofinight4 #tstheerastourlosangeles While another eagle-eyed fan @alexantonides noticed that Swift had an Instagram post scheduled, believing it to be the album announcement. @alexantonides I am freaking out #1989taylorsversion #fyp #swifttok #tstheerastour #latstheerastour #1989 @Taylor Swift So it looks like Swifties were spot on with their prediction. This new 1989 (Taylor's Version) re-recording comes after Swift released Fearless (Taylor's Version) in April 2021, followed by Red (Taylor's Version) in November 2021, and most recently Speak Now (Taylor's Version) on July 7 this year. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Kyle Walker claims Manchester City consider themselves back at the bottom of the mountain again this season. City scaled the heights last term as they became only the second English team to win the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. Now, as City prepare to begin the defence of their European crown at home to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday, Walker has revealed manager Pep Guardiola wants them to prove themselves all over again. The England right-back said at a press conference: “It’s our job to stay motivated. We’re at a massive club for a reason, because the manager believes in us and we’re all great players. “It comes from within that you have to keep going. The hunger is still definitely in the changing room and from him as a manager as well. He still wants to win more. “You can see what he is like in games and training. He doesn’t settle for second and we need to follow in his footsteps because he has managed some great teams that have won fantastic things. “What we have done is in the past now. It is a new season, you draw a line under it. “The manager did a diagram for the first game of the season. We start at the bottom of the mountain and we are climbing to the top. “Our flag will always be at the top because we have won the Premier League and Champions League but we have to go again and again. It is what separates the good teams from the great teams.” I've been very honoured (so far) and it's a privilege to lead this special group of players out Kyle Walker Walker has captained the team so far this season and looks likely to retain the armband following a squad vote to find a permanent successor to the departed Ilkay Gundogan. Walker would not reveal who came top in the vote, which has taken place in recent days, other than to confirm he has been nominated as one of the group of five senior players who make up the captaincy group. However, with the other main contender for the job, Kevin De Bruyne, currently out injured, it would be a surprise if the 33-year-old did not lead out the team for the Group G clash against Red Star. Walker said: “The captains’ vote has come in and the five captains that have been chosen that will lead the team for the season and make sure all checks and fines are paid up. “I don’t think the order really matters but it’s down to myself, Kevin, Rodri, Ruben (Dias) and Bernardo Silva. “I’ve been very honoured (so far) and it’s a privilege to lead this special group of players out. “I will continue to do that and hopefully lead by example on and off the field to ensure we are collecting the trophies at the end of the season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori relishing clash with former team-mate Sandro Tonali Attacking play and big-game wins – Roberto De Zerbi’s first year at Brighton Paul Collingwood backs Zak Crawley to excel in role of England captain

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