She was kidnapped when she was just 3 days old — 17 years later, a school friend uncovered her true identity
One cannot imagine the depth of pain and heartbreak parents go through if their child is stolen from them. It is a reality no one would want to imagine or experience. Yet, should such a devastating event take place, a mother’s heart longs for the day she can reunite with her child. Morné and Celeste Nurse, parents of Zephany Nurse, were bereaved after their newborn was stolen from the hospital, per The Guardian. Like every parent, their heart ached to know whether their daughter was okay. 17 long years later, the girl was finally reunited with her birth parents.
Zephany was born in 1997 in a hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. 3 days after her birth, while Celeste was asleep, her baby was stolen from her arms. The Nurses tried their best to reunite with their child, but in vain. Recalling the heartbreaking experience, Zephany’s aunt, Shantal Berry, said, “It was like a funeral. Sad. We felt empty and lost.” Many people thought the girl may have passed away over time. Despite the void, her parents kept hope alive. “We knew she was alive. We had birthday parties for her every year,” the aunt added.
Zephany was indeed alive. She had been raised a few miles away from her parents by the woman who kidnapped her. However, the girl never suspected she might not be living with her biological family. Fate had creatively heartwarming plans. Zephany’s sister, Cassidy, joined the same school as her and was bound to meet. Berry recalled the moment the duo met face-to-face. “It was the first day of school and the other kids told Cassidy, ‘There’s a girl who looks just like you,’” she explained. When Cassidy met her, she couldn’t believe it was the truth. The duo exchanged warm hugs and began hanging out together.
The two girls were grabbing a bite at McDonald’s when Morné stumbled upon them. Seeing the resemblance, he knew in his heart that this might be his long-lost daughter. “Her dad walked in. He was excited, but he had to contain himself and carry on investigating,” Berry remarked. Keeping his calm, he contacted the police, who conducted a DNA test and finally found a match between Zephany and the Nurses. After 17 long years, Zephany finally met her birth parents. “She was very excited. I burst into tears when I saw her, and she held me in her arms,” Celeste remarked, per CBS News.
She added, “I said, finally, I found you! For 17 years, I’ve been looking for you and I found you. You’re finally mine again.” The woman accused was sent behind bars. André Traut, lieutenant colonel and police spokesman, said, “The suspect is being charged with kidnapping, fraud and contravening sections of the Children’s Act, in that she fraudulently pretended that she was the biological mother of a child.” “We feel very excited and happy. There is just joy. It feels like we’re in a dream and we must still wake up. Can this be happening?” Berry remarked. Celeste’s joy knows no bounds; the mom who had been hoping for years finally received an answered prayer.