An Infamous Kidnapper’s Path to Parole: The Release of Lavona Solomon

by
1 min read
south africa kidnapping

Lavona Solomon, the kidnapper responsible for one of the most sensational kidnapping cases in South African history, will be released on parole after serving a portion of her 10-year prison sentence.

The Crime

In April 1997, Solomon abducted three-day-old Zephany Nurse from Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital. She renamed the baby Miché and raised her as her own. Zephany was reunited with her biological family after her biological sister, Cassidy Nurse, attended the same high school. Students and teachers noticed their striking resemblance, sparking conversations about their possible relation. Eventually, it was established that the girl known as Miché was, in fact, the long-lost Zephany Nurse.

Newsletter

Stay Informed • Cape Town

Get breaking news, events, and local stories delivered to your inbox daily. All the news that matters in under 5 minutes.

Join 10,000+ readers
No spam, unsubscribe anytime

The Parole Process

As per the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board’s recent decision, Solomon will be released on August 18th, with her parole to be supervised for three years. Before her release, Solomon will undergo pre-release programs, as stated by Candice van Reenen, a spokesperson for correctional services. Following her release, Solomon will enter the Community Corrections system and serve the remainder of her sentence until 2026.

Factors Influencing the Decision

In July of last year, the board decided that Solomon needed to complete additional evaluations and participate in a victim-offender dialogue process for the purposes of restorative justice. After resubmitting her profile earlier this month, it was decided to grant her parole. Van Reenen cited factors such as Solomon’s response to rehabilitation programs, support systems in the community, the probability of reoffending, and the risk she may pose to the community or the victims as influencers in this decision.

The Impact

Solomon’s trial took place in the Western Cape High Court in August 2016, where she was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison for her crime. The upcoming release of this infamous kidnapper marks a pivotal moment not only in her life but also for her victims and the community as a whole. As Lavona Solomon prepares for her release, one can only hope that the family involved will continue to heal and find peace in the years to come.

Tags:

You might be interested in

Lerato Mokena is a Cape Town-based journalist who covers the city’s vibrant arts and culture scene with a focus on emerging voices from Khayelitsha to the Bo-Kaap. Born and raised at the foot of Table Mountain, she brings an insider’s eye to how creativity shapes—and is shaped by—South Africa’s complex social landscape. When she’s not chasing stories, Lerato can be found surfing Muizenberg’s gentle waves or debating politics over rooibos in her grandmother’s Gugulethu kitchen.

View all

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

automotive industry goodwood festival of speed
Previous Story

The Goodwood Festival of Speed: A Showcase of Automotive Innovation and Heritage

adventure perseverance
Next Story

Lynn Forbes: A Journey from Kilimanjaro’s Summit to Everest’s Base Camp

Latest from Blog

kidnapping mall security

**Saturday Shock: How Ten Seconds at Vangate Mall Exposed a National Kidnap Machine**

One Saturday morning, a little girl was almost snatched from a mall in South Africa! Luckily, her parents and some quickthinking shoppers stopped the kidnappers. This scary event showed how big and organized the child kidnapping problem is there. These bad guys target young children in busy places, using clever tricks and technology. The incident sparked outrage and exposed how malls often aren’t ready for such attacks. Now, people are looking for new ways, both hightech and simple, to protect kids from this terrible trade.

Cape Town property market luxury real estate

Cape Town’s Billion-Dollar Coast: How Twelve Months Rewrote the Property Record Books

Cape Town’s fancy houses are selling like hotcakes! Rich people can work from anywhere now, so they’re moving to beautiful Cape Town. Foreigners love the good exchange rate, making homes a steal for them. There’s also not much empty land left, and the city has better water and power. This makes Cape Town a super popular place for luxury living, with prices going way up!

Cape Town N2 Highway

**Cape Town’s N2 Nightmare: The Wall That Divides More Than Traffic**

Cape Town’s N2 highway became a battleground, with constant attacks on drivers. To fight this, the city is building a huge concrete wall, almost 3 meters tall and over 9 kilometers long, with hightech cameras and lights. This R330 million “fortress” aims to scare off criminals and keep people safe. But some wonder if this giant wall can really stop smart criminals, or if they’ll just find new ways to cause trouble. It’s a costly gamble, hoping concrete and cameras can solve a deeprooted problem.

Cape Town Pretty Woman Musical

From VHS to Footlights: Pretty Woman Reborn in Cape Town

Get ready, Cape Town! “Pretty Woman: The Musical” is coming, but with a vibrant local twist. Imagine the classic love story, but now Vivian Ward is played by a talented local, Leah Mari, and the music pulses with awesome African rhythms like mbira. The fancy Broadway sets are swapped for clever lights and a reflective stage that makes Vivian’s journey even more powerful. Even the story’s dialogue is changed to feel more like South Africa, with Edward gutting a wine empire instead of a shipyard. This isn’t just a show; it’s a new fairytale that sparks conversations and even helps local students, showing that this beloved story can shine even brighter in a new home.