Awesome - Teen Applying For First Job Accidentally Solves Old Crime
When 16-year-old Alexis Kelli Manigo sat down to fill out a job application, all she was worried about was being qualified for the position. But as she dug into her background, she uncovered a truth about the past that shattered her entire view of the world. There had been an unforgivable crime committed years earlier — and Alexis was at the center of it.
Little Girl Born
It all seemed almost too surreal to Alexis. On July 10, 1998, in Jacksonville, Florida, a little girl entered the world kicking and screaming. Her mother, Shanara Mobley, was just a teenager, unwed and scared. Still, she was determined to give her the best life she possibly could.
Hospital Stay
Due to complications during the delivery, Shanara and baby Kamiyah had to spend some extra time in the hospital, and during that time, a nurse in scrubs entered the room where the duo rested.
Nurse with a Purse
The woman had a purse around her shoulder, which was odd for a nurse on call, but Shanara trusted her. For the next five hours, the nurse chatted up the new mom and performed routine checks.
Medical Alert
One check turned up alarming news: newborn Kamiyah had a fever and needed medical attention. The nurse reassured Shanara as she wrapped Kamiyah in a blanket and left the room.
Torn Apart
That would be the last time Shanara ever saw her newborn baby. With the purse slung over her shoulder, the woman posing as a nurse walked right out of the hospital undetected with 10-day-old Kamiyah in her arms.
Taken
By the time the hospital and Shanara realized Kamiyah had vanished, Kamiyah was long gone. Once a rough sketch of the suspect was completed, police officers flooded the halls, looking for any possible lead on the case.
Dead Ends
The FBI was brought in to assist with the investigation after local authorities reached a road block in the case. Tips were coming in, but each followup just led to more dead ends.
Media Sensation
The media went wild over the news of Kamiyah's disappearance. Shanara was completely heartbroken. A few months turned to years and the case went cold. Eventually, the media moved on, but Shanara never did.
Heartbreaking Interview
Ten years after Kamiyah disappeared, Shanara gave an interview to a local newspaper about what life was like without resolution. She often woke up in the middle of the night wondering what came of her stolen child and of the woman with the purse who took her.
Back Open
But 18 years later, police received a fresh tip that reopened the case. The lead took them all the way to Walterboro, South Carolina, to the front door of a woman named Gloria Williams.
Background Information
An investigation of the property revealed a set of documents: the birth certificate and social security card of an Alexis Kelli Manigo, Gloria's 18-year-old daughter... who had the same birthday as Kamiyah Mobley.
Arrested
Following the discovery, authorities arrested the 51-year-old for the kidnapping of Kamiyah Mobley, 18 years prior. She was extradited to Florida, and Alexis was subject to a DNA test that confirmed she was Kamiyah. This was not news to her.
Warning Signs
As it turns out, Kamiyah — then known as Alexis — had an idea that something wasn't right a few years before when she tried to apply for a job. To be hired, Kamiyah needed to present her birth certificate and social security card. Hers were, of course, fraudulent.
Forged Documents
Upon learning the illegitimacy of her documents, Kamiyah and her half-sister Arika Williams sat down with Gloria to confront her about the issue. Immediately, Gloria broke down and told Kamiyah the truth.
The Tragic Motive
She and her then-boyfriend Charles were expecting a little baby girl together. They were going to name her Alexis. Unfortunately, Gloria lost the baby. Heartbroken, she did the only thing she could think of.
Stolen Child
She stole Kamiyah from a young mother in Florida, she explained, because she wanted to bring a baby back to her ex-boyfriend, Charles Manigo, and re-kindle their relationship.
Happy for a While
At first, things were great between Gloria, Charles, and their new baby "Alexis." But then in 2003 they finally ended their relationship. Charles left, and Gloria kept Kamiyah/Alexis and all her secrets.
So Betrayed
At first, Kamiyah was furious, hurt, and betrayed by her mother's story. But after processing what she'd learned, she realized Gloria had been an outstanding mother to her.
Surprising Feelings
But the investigation continued nonetheless. Kamiyah made it clear she was not mad at Gloria and that she intended to defend her in court. This left Kamiyah's birth parents in limbo.
Just More Love
Knowing what her mother had done, Kamiyah grew curious about her family birth family: "When you find out you have another [family] out there," she said, "it’s just more love."
Reunited
So, after 18 years, Kamiyah reconnected with the woman who'd given birth to her in Jacksonville, as well as her true father, Craig Aiken. Indeed, there was just more love!
Making the Best of It
Still, Kamiyah was in a strange place. She knew the woman who raised her had committed a crime, but at the end of the day, Gloria had been so kind to her. She couldn't have asked for a better mother.
Public Statement
After appearing on ABC's Good Morning America, Kamiyah explained that because of one person's awful mistake, she was given a blessed life. She made it clear that she didn't want her mother, Gloria, to suffer.
Locked Away
However, on June 18, 2018, Gloria was sentenced to 18 years in a Florida prison for kidnapping. A grieving Kamiyah — who preferred the name Alexis — confessed she wished police officers never found her. See, reuniting a stolen child with their birthparents is never easy, and she was lucky to get more answers than most.
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