A 33-year-old single mother in Davao Oriental suspects her baby was switched at birth after years of noticing physical differences between her daughter and the family. DNA tests confirm her suspicions, leading to a meeting with the other family who believe they are raising Margie's biological child.
A 33-year-old single mother from Davao Oriental suspects that her baby may have been switched at birth. Margie recounted giving birth to her first child, Camille, on March 22, 2020, at the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center. Despite the onset of the pandemic, Margie described her delivery as smooth, with no complications or need for interventions like a dextrose.
When she was given her baby, she immediately noticed that there was something off, starting with the lampin or swaddling clothes. The pranela that Margie prepared was color blue, but the baby's clothing was a faded pink, as well as the inner layer. It seemed like it had been worn by several children. Margie, however, assumed the mismatched clothing was due to hospital color-coding, thinking she gave birth alongside a boy.Margie's mother, Gina, also had a hunch that something was different. She noticed the wrong surname on the name tag, but they decided to let it slide. They ended up bringing the baby to their home in Davao Oriental. She is now four years old.Over the years, Margie noted that her daughter didn't resemble their family. She pointed out their differences in appearance, noting that she was fair-skinned with almond-shaped eyes and curly hair, while they were morena with fierce looks and straight hair. Gina, after learning about the baby switching case that KMJS uncovered, suggested to Margie that it might have happened, prompting her to recall another woman who gave birth at the same time in the hospital.In May 2024, Margie decided to email the hospital to seek clarity. For their own peace of mind, Margie and Camille took DNA tests. In August, Margie revealed that the negative DNA test results confirmed she was not the biological mother, leaving her in tears as her world nearly fell apart. Margie discovered that a family in the mountains of Davao Oriental shared the same surname as the woman she was with at the hospital, however, she was not allowed to contact Esmeralda and trusted the hospital to handle the process.The family possibly raising Margie's biological child lives two hours away from Margie's place, with a bumpy road and a 20-minute trek to reach Esmeralda's bahay kubo. Esmeralda and her husband Leonardo know that Hazel has different looks, but are convinced that she is their real daughter. Esmeralda said, 'Hazel' has big eyes, while mine are small. We don't have the same hair, it's thick for her and thin for me.' Leonardo added, 'When I saw my daughter, I knew she was my child because I was there when it happened.'Things took a turn when Esmeralda was visited by employees of the hospital where she gave birth. She was told that there was a possible switch that happened with her daughter. Esmeralda said, I was trembling, wondering if I should fight or not, 'Are you okay?' 'My child is mine! Why are you still coming here?' Esmeralda was hesitant to have a DNA test because they believed Hazel is their biological daughter. December passed without the hospital facilitating the meeting. Guided by her uncle, Margie visited Esmeralda's home and felt an instant connection to Hazel, making her cry. Esmeralda recounted the moment, 'She said, 'Aunt, there really was a switch, my child is really her.' I said, 'What? Your child?' I was shocked and speechless.' She cried, expressing disbelief at how she had raised her only for this to happen. After seeing a photo of who was said to be her real daughter, Esmeralda noticed Hazel's eyes, hair, and fair skin, leading her to decide to take a DNA test to confirm if the child was truly hers.The two mothers decided to show each other their daughters. Upon seeing Camille, Esmeralda said, 'What I felt, she's my child. When I saw her, I felt happy.' 'From the first glance, I knew she was my child! And even now, that feeling remains!' she said. The two mothers turned emotional at the thought of giving their kids to their biological parents. Margie called on the hospital to take responsibility, expressing that they had been harmed and many people were hurt. The hospital head later spoke to the nurse who was on duty when the two gave birth. 'Since the DNA testing is not yet finished, everything is pending. But they are already aware of the possible consequences that will happen,' Dr. Raegan Bersaldo, head of the hospital, said. Due to the incident, the hospital has been stricter in implementing rules and reviewing their policies according to Bersaldo
BABY SWITCH DNA TEST HOSPITAL FAMILIES DANAO ORIENTAL
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