Woman Pleads Court to Reduce Sentence of Her Kidnapper, the 'Only Mother She Knew' for 18 Years

only mother she knew Shanara Mobley Alexis Manigo biological family kidnapped at birth

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald Mar 29, 06:27 am

Photo: (Photo : LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The woman who was kidnapped at birth in a hospital two decades ago is asking the court to reduce the sentence of her kidnapper because she was the "only mother she knew" for 18 years of her life.

Kamiyah Mobley of Florida, who is now 23 years old, wrote the court to "have mercy" on Gloria Williams, who was convicted of kidnapping, per ABC 4 News. Williams was sentenced in December 2021 to 18 years in prison, but Mobley is supporting her plea to reduce the sentence to nine years due to her good behavior while incarcerated.

Mobley wrote that she still loves her "mother" despite knowing the truth in the letter. Williams gave her a well-rounded life and even sent her to college. In short, Williams gave her a wonderful life despite their true connection. So, the young adult said that she would wholeheartedly support Williams because all she wants is for her to be back at home.

Raising Kamiyah Mobley as Her Own

Williams allegedly pretended to be a nurse at a hospital in Jacksonville when she kidnapped Mobley from her 16-year-old mother, Shanara, hours after her birth in 1998. Not long before that, Williams miscarried her own baby but didn't tell her family about the baby's loss.

Thus, when Williams returned to her hometown in South Carolina, her family assumed that she had brought her own daughter, Alexis Manigo. She made them all believe that the baby's biological dad was Charles Manigo, who worked in a car dealership but split up with her before their "baby" was born.

The kidnapping was not discovered until her daughter was in her late teens. According to Daily Mail, Williams raised suspicion when Mobley could not get a driver's license and a Social Security card under Alexis Manigo as she was set to apply for her first job. That's when Williams confessed to her daughter about her true background.

After Williams' arrest for kidnapping, Mobley finally met and reunited with her biological parents. Mobley found out that her biological father, Craig Aiken, was in jail when she was born. Aiken's mother, however, was at the hospital and saw Williams taking the baby out of the hospital nursery.

The grandmother said that the hospital staff frantically searched for the kidnapper, but they never found her. The next day, Shanara was crying on national TV and pleading for her baby back.

Dad Says Daughter is Brainwashed

Meanwhile, Aiken was not aware that his daughter had written the court to appeal for the freedom of the "only mother she knew." According to Crime Online, Mobley's biological family does not support Williams' plea for a reduced sentence.

Aiken also said that whatever her daughter did won't stop him from loving her, but he believes her kidnapper brainwashed her. However, the judge assigned to Williams' case has not yet ruled on her motion as of press time.