Two Families Say Babies Were Switched at Birth Nearly 40 Years Ago

What Happened?

Imagine you get a surprise present at Christmas that turns your whole life upside down. That’s what happened to Kyle Bylin. He took an at-home DNA test (a simple cheek swab that tells you who your biological relatives are) as part of a gift exchange. The test matched him with a biological aunt on a family-tree website.

This led her nephew, Jeremy Morrison, to take his own DNA test too. The results were shocking:

• Kyle was actually raised by Jeremy’s biological family.
• Jeremy was actually raised by Kyle’s biological family.
• The two men had been living each other’s lives for nearly 40 years.

The Hospital and the Lawsuit

According to a complaint (a formal paper that says someone did something wrong) filed against Unity Medical Center in North Dakota:

• Jeremy and Kyle were the only two babies born at that hospital on 28 January 1988.
• They were born just hours apart.
• The lawsuit says the babies were switched before leaving the hospital, without their parents knowing.
• Both men’s parents are also listed as plaintiffs (people bringing the case).

The complaint says:

“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.”

What the Hospital Says

Unity Medical Center does not agree that its staff caused the mix-up. But it does not argue that the babies were switched at some point.

• The hospital says there is no evidence its staff caused the switch.
• It says records and staff from that time are long gone (almost 40 years passed).
• In a statement, the hospital said: “We recognize the profound impact this discovery has had on them and their families.”

Important Point

The hospital admits the babies were switched somewhere along the way, but says it can’t prove the switch happened because of hospital employees.

Keepsakes and Feeling Robbed

Kyle Bylin (who was born as Jeremy Morrison) still has the hospital bracelet that wrongly named him as Kyle Bylin.

Evelyn Newton raised Kyle as her own. She said:

• “Kyle is still my son – that is never going to change.”
• But she feels “robbed of the life I should have had with my biological son.”
• She asks: “How do you make up for first steps, driving a car, getting married?”

Meeting Biological Families

Since finding out the truth:

1. Both men met their biological parents.
2. They described the reunions as “welcoming but awkward.”
3. They have talked on the phone but have not met in person yet.
4. They are trying to come together as a group and accept the messiness.

Bylin told ABC: “Everyone’s getting to know people that they didn’t know before.”

How Often Does This Happen?

You might think baby switches are super rare. They are not common, but they happen more than you’d guess.

• The DNA Diagnostics Center says up to 18 babies a year in the U.S. may go home with the wrong family.
• Usually, the mistake is caught almost right away.
• In this case, it took nearly four decades to discover.

Summary

Two men, Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison, found out through DNA tests that they were switched at birth in a North Dakota hospital in 1988. Their families are suing Unity Medical Center, which says it didn’t cause the switch but agrees the babies were swapped. The families have met their biological relatives and are trying to cope with a life-changing surprise.

FAQ

Q1: What is a DNA test?
A: It’s a simple test (often a cheek swab) that looks at your genetic code to show who your biological family members are.

Q2: Were the babies switched on purpose?
A: The lawsuit says the switch happened without the parents’ knowledge. No one has said it was on purpose.

Q3: Did the hospital admit fault?
A: No. The hospital says there is no proof its staff caused the switch, but it does not deny the babies were switched.

Q4: Have the two men met in person?
A: Not yet. They have spoken by phone and met their biological parents separately.

Q5: Is this kind of mix-up common?
A: It’s rare to go undiscovered for decades, but experts say up to 18 babies a year may be sent home with the wrong family, usually caught quickly.