Newborn Stolen from Hospital 18 Years Ago Reunites with Biological Parents

More than 18 years after being abducted as a newborn from her family in a Florida hospital, Kamiyah Mobley has reunited with her biological parents.

The teen and her biological family — father Craig Aiken and mother Shanara Mobley — reconnected with her in a 45-minute private reunionat the Walterboro Police Department on Saturday, CBS affiliate WCSC reports.

“First meeting was beautiful, it was wonderful, couldn’t went no better…” her father, Craig Aiken, told WCSC. “She was glad to meet us.”

He said he’s still in shock — and told Kamiyah how much he loved her and missed her.

“It’s a feeling that you can’t explain it, it’s hard to put it in words right now it’s hard to deal with this here right now,” he added. “We are just trying to process it, 18 years, it’s going to be hard to make that up.”

Kamiyah Mobley was only hours old when authorities say a woman posing as a health care worker took her from a Jacksonville, Florida, hospital in July 1998. According to local reports, Kamiyah was briefly given to the woman because her family believed the woman was a nurse, while hospital staff believed the woman was a relative.

On Friday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said at a news conference that Kamiyah had been found in Walterboro, South Carolina — living with her alleged abductor whom she believed to be her mother.

The alleged abductor — Gloria Williams — was arrested Friday at her home in Walterboro, Sheriff Williams said. She was charged with first-degree kidnapping and third-degree interference with custody. Kamiyah was not present.

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“We don’t believe she was a resident , but again those are things we will look into,” he said of the suspect. “We are not sure of her ties to Jacksonville. We are as early in this investigation as can be and it is as complicated as you can imagine.”

The sheriff said he he didn’t know if Kamiyah’s alleged abductor has a criminal history.

Williams appeared in court in South Carolina Friday afternoon, according to a First Coast News reporter, with Kamiyah in attendance at the hearing. The teen told her she loved her and was praying for her.

“I always hoped and prayed this day would happen,”Aiken, told the Florida Times-Union when Kamiyah was first found.

“I always felt she was alive,” he said. “I always felt she would find us. Now we have the rest of our lives together.”

“I just prayed and gave it to the Lord,” Aiken’s mother told the paper. “She’s coming home! Yes, Lord, we’re fixing to celebrate!”

It was not immediately clear if Williams has retained an attorney. She is reportedly awaiting extradition from South Carolina and remains in custody without bail.