Two North Dakota men, Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison, have filed a lawsuit against Unity Medical Center in North Dakota after discovering they were switched as newborns nearly four decades ago. The revelation came to light when Bylin received an at-home DNA test as a Christmas gift, which connected him to his biological aunt through a genealogy platform. This prompted Morrison to take his own DNA test, confirming the mix-up.
Lawsuit Alleges Hospital Negligence
According to the complaint, Bylin and Morrison were the only babies born at Unity Medical Center on January 28, 1988, just hours apart. The lawsuit alleges that hospital employees switched the newborns before they left the hospital, leading each child to be raised by the other's biological parents. The complaint also includes both men's parents as plaintiffs.
“The employees and/or agents of Unity Medical Center who switched the newborns and then failed to recognize or correct the error were acting within the scope of their employment and/or agency,” the complaint states, as reported by People.
Hospital Denies Responsibility
Unity Medical Center has denied responsibility, stating there is no evidence that hospital staff caused the switch. However, the hospital does not dispute that the babies were switched at some point. In a statement to ABC News, Unity Medical said, “We recognize the profound impact this discovery has had on them and their families. Unfortunately, because of the passage of nearly four decades, the medical and staffing records that might have provided additional clarity no longer exist, and no members of the delivery team from that time are still employed by the hospital.”
Emotional Impact on Families
Bylin, who was born Jeremy Morrison, still has the hospital bracelet that incorrectly identified him as Kyle Bylin. Evelyn Newton, who raised Bylin as her own, told the Associated Press, “Kyle is still my son – that is never going to change. But I feel robbed of the life I should have had with my biological son. You can’t go back and replace 35 years. First steps, driving a car, getting married – how do you make up for that?”
Since the discovery, Bylin and Morrison have each met their biological parents. They described the reunions to ABC News as “welcoming but awkward.” While the two men have spoken by phone, they have not yet met in person. Bylin told ABC, “We’ve tried to unite as a group and just recognize that no matter what, there’s different ways that this can be socially messy. Everyone’s getting to know people that they didn’t know before.”
Rare but Occurring Cases
Although cases of babies being switched at birth are rare, they happen more often than expected. According to the DNA Diagnostics Center, up to 18 babies a year may go home with families that aren’t their own, though the switch is usually caught almost immediately.
