'Private' birthday party for Zephany

03 May 2015 - 02:00 By NASHIRA DAVIDS

It was billed in the media as a homecoming birthday celebration for Zephany Nurse, but her biological parents have dismissed this. A newspaper report this week claimed that a "bash" would be held at a civic centre in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, today for the teenager who was reunited with her parents in February, 17 years after she was snatched from her mother's arms at just three days old.But Heidi van der Meulen, the lawyer for parents Celeste and Morné Nurse, said Zephany would not even be there.The teen turned 18 this week, but a recent court ruling banned the media from publishing the name she has been known by since her abduction."[Today's] function is a celebration with our clients' church as a thank you for all the prayers and support over the years during a very difficult time.story_article_left1"It is definitely not a birthday party, and Zephany will not be attending," said Van der Meulen."The birthday celebration with Zephany will be a small, private celebration for immediate family only, completely out of the media limelight."Zephany is not comfortable with the media attention and my clients are 100% supportive of her in this, as well as of her court application that was brought last week."The family who raised Zephany have refused to speak about their birthday celebrations with her. The woman who allegedly abducted her is out on bail and will appear in court later this month...

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