She graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2017 and has also written for W, Brides, Glamour, Women's Health, People and more. As reported by New York magazine, Tyson dropped his girlfriend at her house and returned home to try to get some sleep. Pettway finally had to confess to White that she wasnt her biological mother. Carlina Renae White (born July 15, 1987), also known as Nejdra "Netty" Nance,[1] is an American woman who solved her own kidnapping case and was reunited with her biological parents 23 years after being abducted as an infant from the Harlem Hospital Center in New York City. Then, in a quest to find some answers, Netty turned to the internet. She then allegedly told an FBI agent she stole White after. PICTURES: Missing Children, Where Are They? Soon, details began to emerge that for several months, a strange woman had been seen at the hospital. [14], On February 10, 2012, Pettway pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping charge. [citation needed] An arrest warrant for Ann Pettway was issued by the North Carolina Department of Correction on January 21, 2011, for violating her probation from a conviction for attempted embezzlement. Jessica O'Connor is a public historian focusing on Deep South Black History with degrees from Winston-Salem State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Pettway lied and told White that she had been abandoned by a drug addict. Pettway, the woman who White called Mom while growing up, has several aliases as well as a criminal history that includes charges of embezzlement, forgery, theft and drugs. It was a full two decades later, when Carlina White was due to become a mother herself, that she discovered the truth. Feb. 10, 2012— -- A woman who snatched an infant from a New York City hospital 24 years ago and raised her as her daughter pleaded guilty today to a federal kidnapping charge and faces at least 10 years in prison. The actress opens up about the surreal process of playing the Lark in the Netflix fantasy prequel. After a quick visit, White returned to the airport to catch her flight back to Atlanta. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. The last thing Joy White could recall about the nurse was a bizarre comment she made as her newborn daughter was admitted: The baby dont cry for you, you cry for the baby. She now believes it was the womans attempt to get rid of her. Please enter valid email address to continue. Pettway had been in trouble with the law several times as a teen on charges of larceny, theft, and forgery, but police who knew her said she wasnt a hell-raiser. As an adult, she struggled with a drug addiction. / CBS News. Perhaps they'll have a reunion of their own when Pettway is released. Upon discovering her kidnapping and her biological parents, she kept her legal name as Carlina White. White ultimately discovered that she had been kidnapped as a baby by searching missing children web sites, and in early 2011, was finally reunited with her real family. Read about our approach to external linking. I'm here to right my wrong," she said in court. Pettway posed as a nurse, took the baby from the couple and pretended to take her for treatment. Pettway, 49, was arraigned on one federal kidnapping charge in Manhattan federal court Monday. Let her get the same amount of time," Carl Tyson told the New York Post. The case made headlines internationally and solved a mystery that had baffled police for more than two decades. It was wonderful, she didnt even seem like a stranger, she just fit right in, Whites biological grandmother Elizabeth White said. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children helped reunite White with her biological mother. For the mothers of the missing boys in Episode 6 of Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2, Carlina White's case is a beacon of hope. During the hearing, Pettway apologized, saying "I would like to apologize to the family. White was not present at today's hearings. Ann Pettway, 51, learned her fate after pleading guilty to a kidnapping charge in February. Though it's been more than 30 years since they last saw their children, however, Dansby and Walker's parents are still holding out hope that they'll be reunited with their sons, bolstered by the story of another Harlem native, Carlina White, who essentially solved her own kidnapping case after 23 years in her abductor's custody. [1], Annugetta Pettway had an abusive upbringing, her mother often beating her with belts and extension cords. White grew suspicious during her teens that Pettway was not her biological mother, because of her inability to provide a birth certificate. When Netty was 10 years old, Ann gave birth to a son, and the children were raised as siblings. Daniels, with the help of the FBI, arranged a neutral location to meet Pettway. Pettway, 50, could have been sentenced to life in prison or a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison had she chosen to stand trial. "[5], Pettway turned herself in to the FBI office at Bridgeport on the morning of January 23, 2011. It was the police calling from Joy Whites apartment. [16] Her lawyers had asked for leniency, saying Pettway had been severely depressed after suffering from multiple miscarriages and stillbirths. We all went up there, we had dinner together, her aunts were there. Pettway confessed to taking 3-week-old Carlina White from Harlem Hospital's emergency room in 1987. Police began a thorough investigation, and for a while they thought they had a suspect. The security guard stated that a heavyset woman (matching the description the parents had given) did leave around 3:30 am, but she did not have a child with her. For years she lived with Annugetta Pettway, a woman she believed was her mother, however she later discovered that Pettway was actually her kidnapper. She contacted the agency and finally learned the truth in 2011. Carlina Renae White was raised as Nejdra "Netty" Nance by Annugetta "Ann" Pettway in Bridgeport, Connecticut, just 45 miles from where her parents had lived. But now I know who I am. But the judge said they did not serve as an excuse for her actions, saying Pettway's actions created one couple's worst nightmare and made countless other parents fearful. Biological family of Carlina White doesn't believe confessed kidnapper is sorry. [15] On July 30, 2012, Judge P. Kevin Castel sentenced Pettway, who was then 50 years old, to 12 years in prison. The hospital had video surveillance, but at the time it was not working. With NYPD unable to track her down, Carlina was raised in Bridgeport, Conn., under the name Nejdra Nance by a woman named Ann Pettway. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. However, the prosecution pointed out that Ann had been convicted of a number of crimes while she was raising the child. She called the center's hotline and was able to contact her birth family. On Aug. 4, 1987, Joy White and Carl Tyson rushed their newborn daughter, Carlina White, to the hospital due to a fever. [citation needed] At age 23, White used websites such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where she found that the images of the kidnapped Carlina resembled infant photos of herself as Nejdra and those of her daughter, Samani. 419 Likes, 59 Comments - Penelope Ann Miller (@penelopeannmiller) on Instagram: "Happy birthday to my hunky hubby A wonderful daddy and partner in life, love, and adventure. A US woman who stole a baby from a New York City hospital in 1987 and raised the child as her own has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. She pleaded guilty in February to kidnapping the three-week-old Ms White from hospital. January 21, 2011 / 6:45 PM Joy White told reporters afterwards that Pettway should serve 23 years in jail, one for every year she had been separated from her daughter. She took a plea bargain, as a result of which the then 50-year-old was sentenced to 12 years in prison. This was when Netty was pregnant and needed health insurance. Netflix has, thankfully, rebooted a show that we could never get enough of in the first place, and were sure the same is the case with true-crime buffs. "Because of my actions so many lives were hurt," she said, adding that she had raised "a wonderful bright young woman". Lt. David Daniels was the point person from the Bridgeport Police Department who helped arrange the surrender. It wasnt until 2010 that she visited the NCMEC website and expanded her search outside of her home state. A few days later, Pettway confessed that she was not White's birth mother, but claimed White had been abandoned by her parents at birth. Even the kidnappers brother was unaware that Netty was not Anns biological child. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Even in the beginning of the year, with all the drama and stuff, I was kind of cloudy. "I went to the hospital," said Pettway. This also included an attempted embezzlement charge from 2010. It's believed that she is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville, Alabama, to complete her term. The revelation was not entirely surprising to White as she had begun to notice that she did not share physical traits with Pettway. Pettway served her sentence in the Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville in Alabama until she was released on April 14, 2021. Pettway is truly sorry," according to Johnson's court document. For the next few weeks, White was in constant contact with her birth parents, but she sometimes struggled to form a relationship with them. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They told him his daughter was missing while his girlfriend screamed in the background. Her parents were thrilled about the new addition to their family, but when White was just 19 days old, she developed a high fever. Ann Pettway, 51, had pleaded guilty to kidnapping in February and offered details of the 1987 kidnapping. White toldNew York (opens in new tab)magazine in 2011 that while Pettway was somewhat distant, she was a responsible caregiver. Later that evening, in a state of shock, White confronted Pettway, who broke down and confessed that she was not White's biological mother. Ann eventually gave birth to a son. She did not believe she would ever be able to be a parent," a court document filed by FBI Special Agent Maria Johnson, who interviewed Pettway, stated. Ann Pettway, 51, received less than the life sentence she was facing and the 23 years the mother of the kidnapped girl requested. Authorities say a woman dressed as a nurse abducted a newborn Carlina White on Aug. 4, 1987 from a crib at Harlem Hospital in New York City. "She lied to Carlina, to law enforcement and state authorities for 23 years," the prosecutor said. Pettway posed a nurse, took the baby from the couple and pretended to take her for treatment. A woman posing as a nurse later revealed to be Ann Pettway took White and raised her as her own child, renaming her Nejdra "Netty" Nance. [19] As of 2014, she continues to have a relationship with her biological parents.[19][20]. The woman who sparked a nationwide manhunt by snatching a baby from Harlem Hospital a quarter century ago closed the book on the sensational case Friday by pleading guilty to kidnapping. "Now I have two moms and two dads and my life is richer now because of that," White told the outlet, noting that she was writing to Pettway in prison. White solved the case herself 23 years later after finding her photo on a website with images of missing children. White added to New York magazine that she intended to change all of her official documentation to her legal name of Carlina White, but that she would continue to go by her nickname Netty. [3] The baby disappeared during the early morning, around 2 am when the shifts were changing. When national news broke of the reunion, White flew back to New York to do a series of interviews which she felt forced parts of the new relationship that hadnt developed yet. White was separated from her parents from 1987 until 2011, making hers the longest child abduction case to be solved in the Center for Missing and Exploited Children's history, as well as the first in which the kidnapping victim led the reunification efforts, the center's Bob Lowerytold (opens in new tab)theConnecticut Postin 2011. Pettway confessed to taking 3-week-old Carlina White from Harlem Hospital's emergency room in 1987. Her skin was much lighter than Pettways, and though relatives often called her little Ann, she didnt see a physical resemblance at all. All the show tunes! Ann Pettway, 51, learned her fate after pleading guilty to a kidnapping charge in February. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. According to records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Pettway is still serving her sentence in New York, but she won't be serving all 12 years of it. NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The woman who snatched a newborn baby from a Manhattan hospital more than two decades ago and raised the child as her own was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Monday. Pettway then admitted that she was someone else's daughter, but claimed she had been abandoned by a drug addict. It's what I gave myself." Morgan Doughty Filed A Lawsuit Against The Murdaugh Family, Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith Claims Alex Murdaugh Made Him A Fall Guy, Buster Murdaugh Testified For The Defense At His Fathers Double Murder Trial, Love Is Blinds SK Addressed Cheating Claims Following Raven's 'After The Altar' Interview, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. (Image credit: New York Daily News Archive), Catherine, Princess of Wales, Had a Hilarious Reaction to Being Called Prince Williams Assistant, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Majorly Channeled Princess Diana in Her Look from This Weekend, Camilla Will Officially Be Known as Queen CamillaNot Queen Consort CamillaAfter May 6, The 75 Best K-Dramas You'll Be Completely Hooked On, Selena Gomez Revealed Meryl Streep Is Joining 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3, The 56 Best Musical Movies of All Time: Iconic Movie Musicals, Sophia Brown on Joining the World of The Witcher: Blood Origin, 'Ginny & Georgia' Season 2: Everything We Know, The Cast of 'The Crown' Season 5: Your Guide. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Jan. 25, 2011 — -- The family of Ann Pettway, the woman who confessed to kidnapping Carlina White 23 years ago, has asked for compassion following Pettway's arraignment. Leonardo DiCaprio keeps it low-key as he leaves a friend's birthday party wearing face . It turned out that Carlina was actually being raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and went by the name Nejdra Netty Nance. Paleontologists In North Dakota Just Found The Remains Of A Dinosaur That Was Killed The Day The Asteroid Struck, The Disturbing Disappearance Of 18-Year-Old Zebb Quinn And The Series Of Bizarre Clues Left Behind, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. DNA testing was performed to confirm that Carlina White was indeed their child. As documented in Unsolved Mysteries, White was abducted from a New York hospital in 1987 when she was just 19 days old. You took something away from me," Tyson said. There was no paperwork to follow her such as a birth certificate or social security card. ", 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon With More On The Story. Carlina White was snatched from a Harlem hospital as an infant in 1987 and raised as "Nejdra Nance" by her kidnapper Annugetta Pettway, who claimed to be her mother. North Carolina officials saying they believe she's actively fleeing authorities. "We say listen, the Whites . "[1], In 2014, White spoke at the Crimes Against Children Conference, the leading national training event for law enforcement professionals working to combat child victimization. After all, Unsolved Mysteries aims to not only give us well-researched reports on some really chilling cases, but it has also successfully solved some of them with the help of its viewers. Ms White traced her true mother after finding a photo of herself on the website of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Finally, as White was about to board her plane back home to Atlanta, the NYPD contacted her to tell her that her DNA matched Joy and Carl's. 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