The parents of the ISIS terrorist group captive, Kayla Mueller, say they believe there is a slim chance that their daughter may still be alive.
Carl and Marsha Mueller, say that during a conversation with President Donald Trump—following the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi—they told him about their “one percent chance” theory.
“I was able to tell him our one percent chance that Kayla’s still alive and why we feel that one percent chance is still there,” Carl told “Today.” “And he said, ‘I hadn’t heard that. I’ll look into that Monday.’”
While leaving a Syria-based hospital in 2013, Kayla—a humanitarian worker from Arizona—was captured during the midst of the Syrian civil war. Her parents have suspected that she was tortured and assaulted by al-Baghdadi before she died about two years later.
Although her body was never recovered, her parents claim they were sent photos of Kayla by members of ISIS. They believe however, that the photos might have been faked.
Carl said, “So, the only thing they based Kayla’s death on was: One, ISIS said she was dead. We got the email. Two, the three photographs. That’s it, and we’ve had those photographs looked at by other people. They’re not so sure. And they would make the hostages do those photos, those death photos.”
In addition, Carl also claims he was told by another hostage that Kayla was tortured while in captivity.
“One of the Yazidi girls that escaped, she said when (Kayla) would come back from that she would go to her bed and just get under the covers and cry,” said Carl.
Trump named the operation to kill al-Baghdadi in northern Syria—confirmed on Sunday—after Kayla.
“Well, it’s a roller coaster of emotions whenever this ugly situation raises its head, but it’s become part of our life over the last five and a half years,” Carl told CNN following the announcement from Trump.
Kayla’s parents thanked and praised both Trump and the U.S. military.
“We were deeply touched by what he said. We were grateful that they didn’t mess around and went right in,” Marsha Mueller said.
Marsha criticized how former President Barack Obama handled the situation in the past.
“I still say Kayla should be here, and if Obama had been as decisive as President Trump, maybe she would have been,” she told “Meet the Press.”
The Trump administration “truly might help us. I don’t think they are as closed about what happened,” she added.
