A newborn who was taken from a Jacksonville, Florida, hospital in 1998 has been found in South Carolina, officials said.
Kamiyah Mobley was taken hours after being born on July 10, 1998, from University Medical Center, which is now UF Health Jacksonville.
The only picture authorities had of Kamiyah was a composite, because of how quickly she was taken. Authorities also had a sketch of the woman who posed as a nurse and took Kamiyah.
Neither had been located -- until now, according to announcement from Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, State Attorney Melissa Nelson, FBI Jacksonville Office Special Agent in Charge Charles Spencer and Florida Department of Law Enforcement case Agent Michelle O'Neil.
Officials got more than 2,500 tips related to the case. Two of those tips, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, led officials to Walterboro, South Carolina.
There officials found a young woman with the same date of birth as Kamiyah, but with a different name and fraudulent documents, authorities said. Officials said they took DNA from the woman in South Carolina and compared it to DNA that was taken from the missing newborn.
The results came back Thursday night and showed the woman's DNA matched Kamiyah's.
Officials are not releasing the name that the missing girl has lived under for the last 18 years, but police said the victim appears to be in good health.
After the discovery, authorities arrested Gloria Williams, 51, at her home in South Carolina on charges of kidnapping and interference with custody. There is no statute of limitations in the case. Williams could face life in prison. She will be extradited back to Jacksonville.
Jacksonville police said they believe the victim may have known she had been kidnapped.
Authorities did not identify any other suspects in the case. Officials said the investigation is ongoing.
Kamiyah's biological family was told Friday about the discovery. They were elated, JSO said.
Officials said it will be up to Kamiyah to decide whether to get in contact with her biological family, because she is now an adult.
About the Author
