A baby girl who was kidnapped from her mother’s arms in Cape Town’s Groote Schuur hospital three days after being born has been found. In her biological parents’ home.
Celeste and Morné Nurse had only just given birth to their daughter Zephany when she was kidnapped in April 1997 while mother Celeste slept.
Devastated by the kidnapping, Celeste and Morné celebrated their missing daughter’s birthday every year. And after 17 years, they’ll celebrate their daughter’s milestone 18th birthday with their other three children.
Zephany was discovered by her biological sister Cassidy, who started in the same local high school. Noticing the striking resemblance to the older girl Zephany (who had been given a different name), Cassidy invited her sister back to the family home for coffee.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, when Morné saw Zephany in his home, he contacted police. DNA tests later confirmed the teen’s identity.
A woman in her 50s with no other children was arrested and charged for the alleged kidnapping. She and Zephany were living just kilometres from the Nurse family home.
Zephany has now been placed in the care of the Western Cape government, with the Nurse family waiting to hear whether she will be returned to them.
Speaking in 2010 about his daughter’s disappearance, Morné told newspaper Weekend Argus:
"I'll never, ever give up hope. I can feel it in my gut – my daughter is out there and she is going to come home."
