The Kidnapping Of Carlina White
Carlina White, who was kidnapped as a baby, was later reunited with her birth parents. On August 4, 1987, Carlina, who was only 19 days old, was rushed to New York's Harlem Hospital Center. Suffering from an infection and high fever, Carlina was admitted, but disappeared during an early morning shift change. Witnesses claimed they saw a woman dressed as a nurse somewhere near the NICU, however, the hospital's video surveillance system wasn't working, so an accurate description wasn't possible.
This incident was the first non-parental infant abduction in New York history. A reward was set up for Carlina's return, but she was never found. The parents sued the hospital, won a settlement, and eventually split up. The case remained cold for decades. For the next 23 years, Carlina was raised under a new name by Connecticut resident Annugetta "Ann" Pettway.
Carlina eventually became suspicious that she looked nothing like Ann. This suspicion was further heightened when she couldn't provide her with birth documents. Carlina began researching things on the net and eventually came across baby photos that matched those of her when she was small. She called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and was reunited with her real parents in 2000. The kidnapper disappeared, eventually turned herself in, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, and was given a 12-year sentence.
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