After capturing headlines for kidnapping Zephany Nurse and raising her as her own, Lavona Solomon is set to be released on parole and placed under correctional supervision for three years. The Correctional Supervision and Parole Board decided to grant her parole, with her release scheduled for 18 August. Before her release, she will participate in pre-release programs.
Solomon’s sentence, which was 10 years in prison for kidnapping Zephany when she was just three days old in April 1997, will be completed under correctional supervision until its expiry in 2026.
The decision to release Solomon was influenced by various factors, including her response to rehabilitation programs, community support systems, the likelihood of reoffending, and the risk she may pose to the community or victims.
Last year, the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board decided that further assessments and victim-offender dialogue were necessary for restorative justice before considering her release. However, her profile was recently reevaluated, leading to the decision to grant her parole.
Zephany Nurse was famously reunited with her biological family after her resemblance to her sister sparked talk among their peers. She was snatched from Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town shortly after her birth, and the case attracted significant media attention. Now, as Solomon’s release approaches, discussions about her reintegration into society and the implications of her actions resurface.