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Updated: 1:34 PM Apr 15, 2008
Newborns Switched at Birth in Illinois Hospital
It's what every new parent dreads - their newborn baby switched at birth and sent home with the wrong family. Posted: 12:47 PM Apr 15, 2008Reporter: Chris Cuomo |
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It's what every new parent dreads - their newborn baby switched at birth and sent home with the wrong family.
It happened in Illinois, with two moms each leaving the hospital with the wrong baby boy.
Two newborn baby boys were born hours apart on March 28.
But one of their first experiences in this world went wrong.
They were switched at birth, placed in the arms of the wrong mothers at an Illinois hospital.
Both mothers felt something was wrong.
Their attorney says they both cared for the children as their own, even breastfeeding the babies, but when one of the moms got home, there was a message on her answering machine to call the hospital.
"I think it's outrageous," said Attorney John Womick.
"If they aren't careful with babies, then what are they careful with?"
"We genuinely regret the circumstances surrounding the discharge of these infants, fortunately the situation was quickly identified and corrected within hours," explained Hospital Spokeswoman, Staci Bynum.
As difficult as this must be for the families, it could have been much worse.
Kimberly Mays learned at nine-years-old that she had been switched at birth, and endured a bitter custody battle that went on for years.
And it was hard for Paula Johnson, when a chance DNA test revealed that her daughter wasn't actually hers.
"To find out that she wasn't mine was just, I can't even describe how it felt, I can't even describe it," exclaimed Johnson.
In the case of the two baby boys, both moms have filed suit against the hospital.
Officials there wont say how this happened.
"I think they need to look at the system, admit what happened and correct it," said Womick.



