A woman who abducted a newborn baby from a New York City hospital more than 20 years ago and raised the child as her own, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Ann Pettway, 50, pleaded guilty to the 1987 kidnapping of Carlina White, then 19 days old, from Harlem Hospital, where her parents brought her to be treated for a fever.

White, now 25, was reunited with her family in 2011.

At Pettway's sentencing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, White's parents, now estranged, told a packed courtroom that she had robbed them of the joy of raising their child and ruined their lives.

"You hurt me so bad," White's 47-year-old father, Carl Tyson, told Pettway as he addressed U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.

"Our lives will never be the same," sobbed mother Joy White, who was 16 when her baby disappeared.

Pettway, wearing a dark blue prison jumpsuit, begged forgiveness.

"I would like to apologize to the family," said Pettway, her voice choked with tears. "I am deeply sorry for what I've done... but I'm here today to right my wrong."

Carlina White was not in the courtroom.

Judge Castel sentenced Pettway 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Castel said Pettway had "inflicted a parent's worst nightmare on a young couple who was only concerned about the health of their baby".

Carlina White's absence is one of the longest non-parental abductions in which a missing child was reunited with family, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

The sentence was part of a plea agreement for Pettway who, her lawyers argued, had a troubled childhood, suffered depression and had trouble bearing her own children. She originally faced a maximum sentence of life in prison.

According to court documents, Pettway had taken a train from her home in Connecticut to the hospital, where she saw Carlina White. Pettway, disguised as a nurse, grabbed the baby and took her to Connecticut, where she raised the girl about 45 miles east of her parents' home.

White, who was raised as Nejdra Nance, at 16 grew suspicious because Pettway was unable to produce her birth certificate or Social Security number. In 2011, White tracked down her biological parents in New York through the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

DNA tests confirmed White was the parents' missing child. Soon afterward, Pettway turned herself in to authorities.

Tyson, a truck driver, said his daughter is living in Atlanta with a 7-year-old daughter.

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Sun May 19 13:09:22 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 31, 2012

Mellow

Shame so sad really one desperate woman who cabt bear kids and couple who have been robbed of raising their own child and young woman who grew up not knowing her identity...Hope they can all heal and move forward
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Jul 31, 2012

Mellow

Why didnt she think of adopting and spared everyone unnecessary trauma?
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Jul 31, 2012

MommaC

As a mother, I can think of no torture worse than not knowing where your child is.
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Jul 31, 2012

zazezizozuzoooooooooooooooooo

I worry about my child wellbeing everyday as I am not comfortable with the nanny, but at least I get to see him every day. Imagine your child taken away for 20 years, and not knowing the conditions she is living under. At least the abducter did not harm her, but she is still evil.
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Jul 31, 2012

Shredder

@MommaC

As a father, I can think of no torture worse than not knowing where your child is. :-D

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Jul 31, 2012

malemaforpresident

Pettway.we dont steal babies we have steamy sex to produce babies now carry your evil cross and go to jail
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Jul 31, 2012

maneater

jooo!!!! the mother had a baby while she was 16 years and the daughter is 20years old and she already has a 7 year old which means she had a baby while 13 years. the apple does not fall too far from the tree.
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Aug 1, 2012

sgubhusenkwishi

This westerners are crazy, why not having your man and get your own baby, you busy using vibrators but you jelous of of people having their own kids, let her die inprison.
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