Granny says Zephany is a ‘rude, isolent brat’
THE Zephany Nurse fairytale is crumbling. The rift between her estranged biological parents, Morne and Celeste Nurse, has deepened.
Just a few months ago, they put up a united front after the dramatic reunion with their daughter who had been kidnapped a few days after her birth 18 years ago.
It now appears that tension between Zephany and Morne is growing. On Friday her grandmother, Zephra Nurse, went on a tirade accusing the teenager of being an insolent brat. She was speaking outside the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court where Leticia Jacobs*, the woman accused of stealing Zephany, appeared.
The case was postponed to July.
Celeste was not at court. The Nurses’ lawyer, Heidi van der Meulen, said she had work commitments.
The Nurses divorced shortly before Zephany was found early this year. Celeste has a new man in her life. “God has really blessed me with an awesome man and I love him to bits,” she posted on Facebook recently.
Zephra said it pained her to see her son suffering because of his daughter’s behaviour.
“[Zephany] wasn’t raised well,” the grandmother said. “She is rude . We are Christians and it is clear she was raised in a different environment. She is different to my other grandchildren. She wants things her way and she swears. As a family we are very disappointed.
“Zephany has an attitude and is rude to her [biological] parents — very, very, very.”
Morne said Zephany was a stranger who was not raised “nicely”.
Celeste, however, has issued a statement through Van der Meulen distancing herself from Zephra’s comments.
“Celeste says Zephany is a wonderful child with amazing inner strength and she’s so proud of her and how she is coping with all that she is having to go through,” the lawyer said. “Zephany is very precious to Celeste and she would never want to see her hurt in any way.”
The Jacobs family have said Zephany has been upset with these developments, particularly the grandmother’s statements.
She was raised with another name that may not be revealed in terms of a court order.
Brent Jacobs* and Zephany grew up as brother and sister. They still have a close bond, and he said she did not like the name Zephany, which the Nurses insist on using. She has returned to the Jacobs family.
Brent described her as lovable and caring but said she was taking strain because, in terms of a court order, she may not visit Leticia.
Shortly after Zephany turned 18 last month, the Nurses held a big “celebration” at their church to thank those who had supported the family over the years.
But Zephany decided not to attend. Instead, Brent said, she celebrated her birthday with the only family she knew — and Celeste.
* Not their real names