MEN ALLEGEDLY SWITCHED AT BIRTH 38 YEARS AGO SUED HOSPITAL
Two men born on the same day in 1988 sued a North Dakota hospital, claiming they were switched at birth.
Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison, both 38, were born at Unity Medical Center in Grafton, North Dakota, on January 26, 1988, CBS News reported. The lawsuit alleges they were switched as newborns and sent home with each other’s biological parents.
The complaint says they were the only babies born at the hospital that day. It also claims the staff involved were on the clock, PEOPLE reported: “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.”
The complaint also alleges the separation caused “permanent and irreparable damage to the plaintiffs and their parent/child relationships.”
How the DNA test uncovered it
The Associated Press reported that Bylin first took an at-home DNA test he got in a Christmas gift exchange. It led him to his biological aunt on a genealogy platform.
Morrison then had his DNA tested, and the results confirmed the family connection, the AP reported.
Valley News Live reported that Evelyn Newton raised Bylin on a farm near Adams, North Dakota. Morrison grew up in Grand Forks and later lived in Colorado. Bylin lives in Michigan.
The AP reported that the families accuse the hospital of “robbing them of the lives they were supposed to lead.”
What the hospital says
Both men and both families are plaintiffs in the suit against Christian Unity Hospital Corporation, which does business as Unity Medical Center. The complaint alleges negligence and medical malpractice. Local 12 reported that the plaintiffs are seeking more than $50,000 and have asked for a jury trial.
The AP reported that attorney Tim O’Keefe tried for about a year to negotiate a monetary settlement before the suit was filed.
The hospital does not dispute that the men were switched at some point, the AP reported. It denies that its staff were responsible.
“While we deeply sympathize with the men and their families, we have found no evidence to support claims that Unity Medical Center or its staff were responsible for what occurred,” the hospital said in a statement.
The hospital also said it “recognize[s] the profound impact this discovery has had on them and their families.” It added that the records that might explain what happened are gone: “Unfortunately, because of the passage of nearly four decades, the medical and staffing records that might have provided additional clarity no longer exist.” KKTV reported that the hospital also said no members of the delivery team from that time still work there.
The AP noted that modern hospital systems use electronic security technology to help prevent newborn mix-ups.
What happened next
A scheduling hearing was held on October 14, 2026, the Walsh County Record reported. The case is preparing for trial, and a jury will not hear it before March 2028.
