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Teen Kidnapped At Birth Pleads For Leniency On Kidnapper's Behalf: 'She Took Care Of Me Very Well'
Gloria Williams dressed up as a nurse and stole the baby Alexis Manigo, then raised her for 18 years.
A kidnapping victim is making a plea on behalf of her abductor. According to the New York Daily News, 18-year-old Alexis Manigo was kidnapped as an infant from University Medical Center in July 1998 in Jacksonville, Florida. Gloria Williams dressed up as a nurse and stole the baby. She then raised her for 18 years.
Manigo (named Kamiyah Mobley when she was born) says that she forgives Williams. "I am certain that she's going to get time, but I'm hoping not very, very long," Manigo said. "I think they should be lenient. She took care of me very well."
Williams gave Manigo a new identity but the victim says she was treated well. "Don't get me wrong, I do feel like it was wrong. But we talked about it and I can understand at the time what was going on," Manigo told the Daily Mail. "I sympathize with her. I'm not mad at her."
Manigo has since forged a relationship with her birth parents Shanara Mobley and Craig Aiken (seen above) as well as her siblings. Still, her birth mother has not forgiven Williams."It's been harder for my mother to cope. We are working on our relationship," explains Manigo. "I don't like to define which one is my mother, I like to be respectful of both parties." Aiken is understanding of the tenuous position his daughter is in, picking sides. "She can't help what happened with Gloria or the feelings she's got for Gloria," he said. "She just wants her mama to understand that she's not trying to do anything to hurt her. The last thing she wants to do is hurt her mama."
Manigo was born on July 10, 1998. After her birth, woman wearing blue scrubs and surgical gloves came into the hospital and carried the infant away. Police thought it was a nurse at the time but it was Williams impersonating a hospital employee. Williams herself had miscarried a child the week before, so her family had no idea that Manigo wasn't hers. Two years ago, Manigo discovered her true identity when she applied for a job that required a birth certificate and social security information.
Williams is accused of kidnapping. She is slated to go on trial February 12.
[Photo: Facebook]
