French Women Swapped At Birth Get Payout
Twenty years after two babies were put in an incubator and returned to the wrong mothers, a court awards them damages.
Tuesday 10 February 2015 16:08, UK
Two young French women mistakenly switched at birth have been awarded 鈧�400,000 (拢297,000) each by a court in southern France.
The babies were given to the wrong parents after sharing an incubator to treat them for jaundice in 1994.
Despite the mothers querying the identity of the infant they were handed, the nurse insisted there was no mistake.
It was not until 10 years later that the truth came out when one of the mothers took a DNA test and found the baby was not biologically hers.
Mother Sophie Serrano said after the judgment: "We've fought, we kept believing, we had to, to be able to keep fighting.
"We had to have this fight because I blamed myself for not being able to protect my children 20 years ago and today I've fought for them to get recognition for all the negligence and all the harm that was done to them, and I did it and my combat was not in vain."
The daughter she raised, Manon, said the money was not the reason for the fight.
"The money means nothing to me to be honest, it won't change anything," she said.
"The most important thing is that the clinic can't blame the mothers anymore, now it's been proved that it was to blame, it'll have to take responsibility, they'll all have to take responsibility for this horrible act they committed, until the end of their days."
Mrs Serrano and her husband split when Manon was three years old after her hair grew curly and her skin olive - giving her an appearance unlike either parent.
After the DNA tests, an investigation was launched and their biological child was located less than 20 miles away.
The court in the town of Grasse also ordered the private clinic responsible pay €300,000 (£222,800) to three of the parents involved, and €60,000 (£44,600) each to the brothers and sisters of the women.
The families had sought €12m (£8.9m) in damages.