In 1987, a horrible crime shocked New York City when 19-day-old Carlina White was kidnapped from Harlem Hospital. Ann Pettway kidnapped Carlina and raised her as Nejdra “Netty” Nance. Carlina never knew who she really was. She didn’t find out the shocking truth about her past until she was in her 20s and getting ready to be a mother. Lifetime’s “Abducted: The Carlina White Story” was based on her story of strength and self-discovery. At Spiky TV, we’re exploring Carlina White’s remarkable journey from her kidnapping to her current life.
The Shocking Abduction of Carlina White
Carlina Renae White was born on July 15, 1987, to Joy White and Carl Tyson in New York City. At just 19 days old, she developed a high fever after swallowing fluid during delivery, prompting her parents to rush her to Harlem Hospital for treatment. In the early morning hours of August 4, 1987, between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m., Carlina vanished. A woman posing as a nurse, later identified as Annugetta “Ann” Pettway, had spoken briefly with her parents before walking out with the infant. The hospital’s security cameras were down, leaving no clues and marking the incident as the first known infant abduction from a New York City hospital.
Pettway took Carlina to Bridgeport, Connecticut, just 45 miles from her biological parents, and renamed her Nejdra “Netty” Nance. She raised Carlina as her own daughter, alongside her son, Trevon Teele, born in 1998, whom Carlina considered her half-brother. Carlina went to Thomas Hooker School when she was a child and graduated from Warren Harding High School in 2005. Pettway’s life, on the other hand, was unstable. He had problems with the law, such as breaking probation and pleading guilty to stealing money and clothes from Hudson Belk in Raleigh, North Carolina. Carlina’s childhood seemed pretty normal, even though she had to deal with these problems. However, questions about her identity would soon come up.
Carlina’s Search for the Truth
The turning point came in 2005 when Carlina, who was pregnant at the time with her daughter, needed a birth certificate to apply for health insurance. Pettway showed a piece of paper, but it was declared by officials to be a fake, leaving Carlina a bit suspicious. Pettway eventually confessed that she wasn’t Carlina’s real mother but was very deliberate in telling lies to cover up where her own child had come from. Carlina doubted the story and once she turned 18, set out to find out for herself. She started scouring online databases, including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
In 2010, Carlina came across missing child images for a girl named Carlina White. The photos looked identical to her own baby pictures and those of her newest baby girl, Samani. She contacted the NCMEC and law enforcement, who put her in touch with Joy White and Carl Tyson. A DNA test in January 2011 confirmed that Nejdra Nance was Carlina White, a baby girl who had been kidnapped 23 years earlier. The discovery brought to a close one of the nation’s most long-standing abduction cases, demonstrating the combination of determination as well as the help of modern resources in the solving of cold cases.
The Emotional Reunion and Challenges
It was both joyful and sad for Carlina to see her biological parents again in January 2011. When she was 23, she met Joy White and Carl Tyson, as well as other family members who were happy to see her. An aunt shared in an interview that Carlina “fit right in,” and they enjoyed dinners together, including meeting Carlina’s daughter, Samani.
However, the reunion wasn’t without complications. Reports surfaced about tensions over a $750,000 settlement the Whites received from Harlem Hospital in 1993. Carlina’s attorney advised her to enquire about the funds, but her parents explained that the money was spent, and a trust fund set up for Carlina was only accessible if she had been found before age 21.
By July 2011, rumors of a fallout between Carlina and her biological parents emerged. Some reports said that Carlina was ready to testify for Ann Pettway at her trial. This showed how complicated her relationship was with the woman who raised her. But later, Carlina said that these problems were just misunderstandings and that she was trying to fix her relationship with her biological parents. The emotional toll of dealing with two families—one biological and one adoptive—made her journey more complicated and made her story a fascinating look at identity and loyalty.
Ann Pettway’s Arrest and Trial
On January 21, 2011, police issued a warrant for Ann Pettway for violating probation from a prior attempted embezzlement conviction. Two days later, she surrendered in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and confessed to kidnapping Carlina, citing her desperation after multiple miscarriages. In February 2012, Pettway pleaded guilty to federal kidnapping charges. Carlina and her biological family were there for Pettway’s trial. He apologised, saying, “I am deeply sorry for what I’ve done.” She was given a 12-year prison sentence and spent that time at the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville, Alabama, until she was released in April 2021.
Carlina’s presence at the trial showed her desire to understand Pettway’s motives rather than seek vengeance. This nuanced view shows how strong and caring she is, even after years of lying. The case also made hospitals all over the country tighten their security, making it less likely that these kinds of kidnappings would happen again.
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Carlina White’s Life Today
In her late 30s, Carlina White still legally has her birth name but chooses to go by the name “Netty” because she considers that to be her true identity — outside of both Pettway and her biological parents. This decision is her path to healing, as she heals from what she’s survived. Carlina, living in Atlanta, Georgia, has carved out a happy life as a devoted mother to her 18-year-old daughter, Samani, who turned 18 in May 2023 and recently joined the Army. The mother-daughter duo are close, embarking on trips to spots like Las Vegas and mellow weekends on the beach.
Carlina has also used her experience for advocacy. She also stepped in front of the Crimes Against Children Conference in 2014 to tell her own story before public awareness really started rising around abduction and exploitation. She carried on speaking out at events like the 2019 Hope Awards Other with such resilience. An enterprising woman, Carlina keeps her business information private because she’s self-employed but loves building a stable, meaningful life. Her social media profiles often show that she is proudly proud of Samani and their adventures, and she looks positively on life despite some of the times she has had.
Stream “Abducted: The Carlina White Story” on Prime Video.
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