Nightmare
Shanara Mobley was a happy new mother who was looking forward to parenting her daughter. She even had a name planned for her baby girl.
Her dream, however, soon turned into a nightmare in 1998, when a stranger kidnapped her child.
Rough Upbringing
Shanara had a tough upbringing. She was nine years old when she was abused twice a year for two years.
By the age of thirteen, she was living on her own. She constantly lied about her age in order to get babysitting jobs. These jobs effectively provided her with money, allowing her to skip school and spend her time on the streets.
Few Moments Of Happiness
Shanara was 14 when she became pregnant, however, the pregnancy terminated in a miscarriage. At the age of 15, she fell pregnant for the second time and vowed to do things correctly this time.
However, as we all know, when Shanara's daughter Kamiyah was born, she was abducted. Shanara was so devastated that she even tried to take her life.
Last Seen
The abductor disguised herself as a nurse and abducted the baby from a hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. The lady, who was in her early thirties, lingered in the room for several hours, keeping the 16-year-old mother company.
After some hours, she told Mobley that she wanted to take the infant's temp and promised to return in a few minutes. It was the last time she saw her baby, Kamiyah.
Disappeared Without A Trace
Authorities launched a large-scale search in the hopes of locating Kamiyah Mobley. The officers followed tips about the case all the way to Walterboro, South Carolina.
Their attempts were futile, and the child appeared to have vanished without a trace.
New Name, New Life
Eighteen years passed by just like that without any news on what happened to the baby. Then suddenly, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office got an unexpected tip concerning the Mobley kidnapping in 2017.
A woman named Gloria Williams had taken the infant years ago when the baby was born from the hospital directly. She had renamed the girl Alexis Kelli Manigo.
Desperation
Williams had a miscarriage in 1998. She was heartbroken and completely in disarray. The desperation led her to take severe decisions.
A decision that would affect many people and change some lives forever.
Abduction
She never told her family about the miscarriage. What made her do this would still remain a mystery to date. Soon after the miscarriage, she found this one in a million chance.
She disguised herself as a nurse and abducted little Kamiyah from the arms of her young mother from the hospital.
Unusual Case
She returned home with a newborn, claiming the infant as her own child. The family members believed her without any suspicions.
Years passed by and Gloria raised Kamiyah as Alexis Kelli Manigo. Assistant state attorney in Florida’s Judicial Circuit called it an ‘unusual case’ since most of the kidnapping cases are usually short-termed. And often the culprit is someone close.
Questions
Surprisingly, Kamiyah found out about her kidnapping when she was 16 years old. The shock was pronounced. It wasn’t a small revelation by any means.
She had asked her ‘mother’ for her Social Security number to apply for a job. Without SSN it is not possible to get a driver’s license either.
Confession
Williams disclosed the truth. Williams admitted to driving from South Carolina to Florida in 1998, posing as a nurse, and kidnapping Kamiyah from her biological mother's arms.
Williams was in an abusive relationship at the time of the kidnapping, had lost custody of her two young kids, and had recently miscarried. When she returned to South Carolina, she claimed Kamiyah as her biological daughter.
Anonymous Tip
The news startled Kamiyah, who knew Williams' activities were unlawful. She loved her, though, and didn't want to lose the person who had raised her—after all, Williams was Kamiyah's only mother.
Authorities discovered the link between Mobley and Kamiyah thanks to an anonymous tip. Furthermore, DNA testing revealed that they were mother and daughter.
Arrest
Williams was arrested for abduction, but Kamiyah has kept in touch with her and still calls her mother. She also began to form bonds with her newly discovered relatives.
It wasn't easy, and her birth mother, Mobley, was confused as to why her daughter still loved the lady who stole her.
Efforts Taken
Kamiyah Mobley's bond with her abductor, Gloria Williams, had affected her relationship with her birth mother, Shanara Mobley. Williams is currently serving an 18-year jail term for kidnapping Kamiyah.
Kamiyah makes every effort to incorporate the ladies and embraces both of them as moms. She also goes by both names depending on who she is with. In Florida, she is known as "Kamiyah," whereas in South Carolina, she is known as "Alexis."
Docudrama
Craig Aiken, her father, was equally overjoyed to have her in his life. He said, "It’s been fun for me and the learning process, trying to get to know my daughter. A funny process getting to know her sisters and brothers. It’s been exciting."
The whole incident and the life after it has now been documented in a docudrama titled, ‘Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley’.