Stolen Capetown Baby Found 17 Years Later - Thanks To School Children Who Identified Her

Stolen Baby Girl Found Schooling At a Local School 17 Years Later

Celeste Nurse,Zephany's Biological Mother - Photo by AP

Zephany, a South African school girl was snatched from her mother when she was just 3-days old at Groote Schur hospital in Cape Town. Seventeen years later, she was identified by school children who saw a remarkable resemblance between her and her younger sister who was a newcomer at a local school.

It’s like a movie, a miracle from heaven, a story of faith but when Zephany was stolen from her biological mother Celeste Nurse, she never gave up hope. She celebrated her birthday every year for the past 17 years, believing that her baby is somewhere alive, and that she would meet her one day. The Nurse family gave birth to three more kids, one of them a girl called Cassidy who started attending a high school where Zephany was a final year student.

Schoolmates noticed a similarity between Cassidy and Zephany.Cassidy then went to tell her parents about this incident. Her parents invited the girl home for a cup of coffee, and that’s when they realized that the girl is truly similar to their daughter. Police were called and a 50 year old woman who had been looking after Zephany was arrested. A DNA test has confirmed that the Nurse couple are the biological parents of Zephany.Charges for kidnapping and fraud have been filed against the woman, including violating the Children’s Act.

Baby Zephany - Photo by Patrick Louw

The kidnapper foster parents who have been living with the girl for 17 years have no children of their own, and Zephany had no idea that they were not her biological parents. They gave her a different name, and she was the only child in the family. It would be interesting to know how she is reacting after discovering her real family and siblings. Will she adjust easily to the new situation and family? Is she happy about it and will she miss her foster parents? Currently, she has been taken in by the Department of Social Services who are looking after her while the matter is being sorted.

Photo Credits – Patrick Louw and AP

Source - Sydney Morning Herald