Newborn taken from Jacksonville hospital in 1998 found alive; woman arrested

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A newborn who was reported missing in 1998 after she was taken from a Jacksonville hospital was found alive Friday, according to officials.

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 announced the development Friday afternoon, according to

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Gloria Williams, 51, was arrested Friday morning at her home in South Carolina. There is no statute of limitations in the case and Williams could face life in prison.

Williams was denied bond Friday.

Kamiyah Mobley was taken from University Medical Center in July 1998. The hospital was renamed UF Health Jacksonville.

“That would be the happiest thing in the world right now is to hold my baby and to know that she's not going nowhere else,” Kamiyah’s mother said in a 1998 interview.

The only picture of Kamiyah in 1998 was a composite, because she was taken just hours after being born. There were also sketches of the woman accused of taking Kamiyah, who pretended to be a nurse.

“I can't stress enough to give her some space and try to let her process this and go through it because it's incredible,” said Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams.

Officials said a DNA swab revealed that she was not Kamiyah’s mother.

In Walterboro, South Carolina, officials found a young woman with the same date of birth, but with a different name and fraudulent documents.

Officials said they took DNA of the girl in South Carolina and compared it to the DNA that was taken when she was a newborn. The results came back Thursday night as a match to the missing newborn, Kamiyah.

Officials are not releasing the name that the missing girl has been living under.

Jacksonville authorities said they believe the Kamiyah might have known she was a kidnapping victim.

The biological family was notified Friday, and authorities said they were elated. Officials said any contact between Kamiyah and her biological family in Jacksonville will be up to her as she is an adult, officials said.

Lake County resident Allison Paicailler said she was a graduate student at the same hospital at the time of the kidnapping.

“I could not believe that she was found. I never thought this story would have a resolution,” said Paicailler.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.

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Watch the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's Facebook post of the announcement below: 

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