Friday night, Kayla’s parents issued a statement asking the people holding their daughter to contact them:
“After going to extraordinary efforts to keep Kayla’s name out of the media for so long, by securing the cooperation of journalists throughout the world, her name was released today.
This news leaves us concerned, yet, we are still hopeful that Kayla is alive. We have sent you a private message and ask that you respond to us privately,” (statement via CNN)
Asked about ISIS’s claim of the woman’s death in Raqqa, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that she could not “confirm those reports in any way.”
ISIS has released a full statement announcing the death of its remaining hostage.
The statement identifies the American hostage as Kayla Jean Mueller. Mueller was an aid worker that is believed to have worked for a Doctors Without Borders program in Aleppo.
The statement claims Mueller was killed after Jordanian fighter planes bombed a building in which she was being held.
These claims have not been confirmed as true.
ISIS released a statement identifying Mueller’s phone numbers and other personal information. The statement released Mueller’s full name, which had not previously been made public. There was no photographic evidence provided with the claim.
