Baby-swap parents to decide whether to keep ‘their’ babies
The parents whose babies were swapped at the Tambo Memorial Hospital on August 2, 2010, have to undergo rigorous counselling to decided whether to keep the children that they are raising, despite one of the mothers who from the beginning wanted her biological child back.
Four years ago a boy and a girl, were switched at birth at the hospital, and now, the families are being given the chance to be introduced to their biological families along with their lawyers.
This is according to Carina du Toit from the Centre for Child Law at the University of Pretoria.
“Any possibility of contact by the parents with their biological children will be managed by the team at the Child, Adolescent and Family Unit,” says Ann Skelton, head of the Centre for Child Law at the University of Pretoria, according to other media reports.
“The mothers and children are already undergoing a treatment plan by the Child Adolescent and Family Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital,” says Skelton.
The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria appointed her to investigate the incident and to provide further recommendations regarding the case, where after a formal court hearing will take place. The court will then decide what will happen to the children.
The baby swapping incident came to light when one of the fathers refused to pay maintenance for his child, noting that the child wasn’t his. A paternity test was done, and it was then discovered that neither parent were the child’s biological parent.
According to Skelton’s report, the midwife that attended to both mothers at the time of the children’s birth, allegedly swapped the name tags and files of the children by accident.
The hospital was also alleged to have been busy on the day with a few staff present.
