Eighteen years after she was abducted from the hospital, Kamiyah Mobley has been found.
Mobley was taken just hours after birth July 10, 1998, from UF Health Jacksonville- which at the time was University Medical Center. The suspect in the abduction was dressed like a nurse, and according to the original incident report, she spent time with Mobley’s 16-year-old mother helping her and talking with her, before instructing her to put the baby down and then leaving with the newborn.
When the suspect didn’t return with the baby, Mobley’s mother called for security, who then brought in JSO. A massive, multi-agency law enforcement effort was launched to track down the baby, but it was not successful.
“Even when a case is deemed cold, we’re always looking for new information. A tip or an advancement in technology that furthers that investigation,” says Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams.
Williams says police received more than 2,500 tips and leads in this case over the years, but two new informational leads late last year from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are what led them to Walterboro, South Carolina. JSO, working in cooperation with police in that area, found an 18-year-old who shared Mobley’s birthday. Investigators determined the identity that teen was living under was based on fraudulent documents, and DNA testing has now confirmed the teen is Mobley.
“A case like we have not seen obviously in this country, for a long time,” Williams says.
Mobley was being raised by her abductor, 51-year-old Gloria Williams, according to police. Mobley appeared to be in good health and had the life of a normal teen, but Sheriff Williams says she did suspect that something was wrong.
“She had an inclination beginning probably a couple of months ago, that she may have been involved in this in some way,” he says.
JSO won’t be releasing the identity that Mobley has been living under, asking for space and privacy for this victim. She has been given a victim’s advocate to help her work through all of this new information and get whatever support she needs.
Mobley's biological family has been informed that she was found, but Sheriff Williams says it will be up to Mobley, who is now 18 years old, if she will be reunited. Williams says the family was "elated" to learn she was alive and well.
It’s still unclear why the suspect Williams targeted Mobley and what brought her to Jacksonville and to that hospital. JSO says we’re very early in the investigation at this time.
“Try to paint a picture of what may have happened 18 years ago, how that impacted the decision she made to commit the kidnapping,” he says.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson says suspect Williams could get up to life in prison on the kidnapping charge and five years on the interference with custody charge, if convicted. Williams will be brought back to Jacksonville to face the charges. Williams is believed to be the only suspect in this case.
In addition to thanking the Cold Case investigators who continued to pursue leads, Sheriff Williams also praised the FBI in Jacksonville as a key partner, and thanked the FDLE for their quick work at the lab to process the DNA.
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