Susan, now in her seventies, has always felt like something didn’t quite add up when it came to her family. It wasn’t until a simple DNA test—originally taken to uncover more information about a grandfather she had little knowledge of—that the truth was revealed: Susan had been switched at birth in a hospital in England in the 1950s.
Her journey began with what seemed like an innocent request. Susan, curious about her paternal grandfather, decided to take an at-home DNA test. What she didn’t anticipate was that this would lead her to uncover a life-altering secret. After sending in her sample, the testing agency allowed users to compare results with other people in their genetic database, enabling them to connect with potential relatives. That’s when Susan received a message from a man whose genetic data closely matched hers.
At first, Susan thought she had simply been adopted, as her parents had passed away years ago. However, the situation was far more complex than she imagined. Her older brother, who had grown up with her, confirmed that their mother had indeed been pregnant and that Susan had always lived with them. Despite this, Susan couldn’t ignore the physical differences that made her feel like an outsider in her own family.
As she dug deeper into the mystery, Susan made an astonishing discovery. Another girl, born just after Susan on the same day at the same hospital, shared the same last name as the man who had contacted her. This revelation confirmed her suspicions: she and this other baby had been swapped at birth.
Meeting Her Biological Brother
Susan eventually met her biological brother, and the resemblance between the two was undeniable. “If you put a wig on him and a little makeup, it could have been me,” she joked to the BBC, highlighting the uncanny similarities between them. However, despite the revelation, Susan has not yet met the woman who was raised as her biological sibling. She does not feel any connection to her birth family.
Instead, Susan found comfort in the bond she shares with the brother she grew up with. He was there for her throughout this emotional ordeal, and Susan said she received a letter from a cousin telling her, “Don’t worry, you’re still part of the family.” While the news was a shock, Susan found solace in knowing that the family who raised her loved her just the same.
The Impact of the Discovery
The discovery has also brought some relief, as Susan shared that she was grateful her parents were no longer alive to learn the truth. “If they’re up there watching me, I really hope they don’t know what’s going on,” Susan said, reflecting on how the revelation might have affected them. However, she quickly added, “I don’t think this changes anything for me. They are still my mom and dad.”
This case marks the second known instance of a baby switch that has been discovered through DNA testing. Last November, the BBC reported on another similar case involving two women born in 1967, who were also raised by families other than their biological parents. Experts believe that as DNA tests and related websites become more popular, more cases of baby swapping could emerge.
Legal Compensation
In light of her discovery, Susan has received financial compensation from the National Health Service (NHS) for the distress caused by the switch. The NHS has also issued an official apology for the error. This case serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of mistakes made in hospitals and the growing role that DNA tests are playing in uncovering such life-altering secrets.
While Susan’s story may seem like a rare anomaly, it also highlights the increasing number of people discovering unexpected truths about their identities thanks to the widespread availability of DNA testing. This new technology is not just helping people trace their ancestry—it is also revealing family secrets that were long hidden, leaving many to grapple with the truth about who they really are.
This article is originally published on bfmtv.
