A 33-year-old single mother from Davao Oriental suspects that her baby may have been switched at birth.
On “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” 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.
“Nagkaroon ako ng direksyon ng dahil sa kanya,” Margie said. “Solo parent din po ako. When I was pregnant, I was fully abandoned. Siya ‘yung source of strength ko.”
[“I found direction in my life because of my daughter. I am a solo parent. When I was pregnant, I was fully abandoned. She was my source of strength.”]
When she was given her baby, she immediately noticed that there was something off, starting with the lampin or swaddling clothes.
“‘Yung pranela na prinepare namin is color blue. ‘Yung suot ng baby na binibigay sa akin is luma na pranela na color pink as well as ‘yung inner niya. Parang pinaglumaan na ng ilang bata,” Margie said.
[“The flannel I prepared was blue, but the baby they handed me was wrapped in an old pink flannel, including her inner cloth. It looked like it had been used by several other babies.”]
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 also noticed the wrong surname on the name tag, but she and Gina decided to let it slide. They ended up bringing the baby to their home in Davao Oriental. She is now four years old.
Differences between the children
Margie is still studying, so Gina helps in taking care of “Camille.” “Camille” studies in a private school, and has access to nutritious food, vitamins, and gets check-ups when she’s sick.
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.
“Si ‘Hazel’ malaki ang mata. Ako singkit ang mata ko. Di kami magkapareha ng buhok, makapal sa’kin, sa kanya manipis,” Esmeralda said.
[“‘Hazel’ has big eyes. Mine are almond-shaped. We don’t have the same hair either—mine is thick, hers is thin.”]
Leonardo added, “Pagkita ko sa anak ko, nasabi ko na bata ko talaga ‘yan kasi ako ang nandoon noong pangyayaring ‘yun.”
[“The moment I saw my child, I thought she was mine 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.
“Nanginginig ako na kung lalaban ba ako o hindi [at sabihin na], ‘ha, okay lang kayo? Anak ko ‘to! Pumupunta punta pa kayo dito!'” Esmeralda said.
[“I trembled, not knowing if I should start a scene or not and say, ‘What’s this? She’s my child! How dare you come 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. “Sabi niya na, ‘Te, nagpalit talaga daw, anak ko talaga ‘yan siya.’ Sabi ko, ‘Ha? Anak mo?’ Parang na-shock ako wala akong masabi noon.”
[“She told me, ‘She’s really my 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.
Agreement with the hospital
The two mothers decided to show each other their daughters. Upon seeing “Camille,” Esmeralda said, “Ang nararamdaman ko, anak ko siya. Nakita ko siya, parang natuwa ako.”
[“I feel like she’s my daughter. When I saw her, I felt happy.”]
“Unang kita ko pa lang anak ko ‘yan eh! Hanggang ngayon nandoon pa din yung nararamdaman ko talaga!” she said.
[“The first time I saw her, I knew she was my child. And that feeling hasn’t changed.”]
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 hindi pa naman tapos ang DNA testing, everything is pending. But they already know of the possible consequences na mangyayari,” Dr. Raegan Bersaldo, head of the hospital, said.
[“Since the results of the DNA test are not out, everything is still pending. But they are already aware of the possible consequences that may arise.”]
Due to the incident, the hospital has been stricter in implementing rules and reviewing their policies according to Bersaldo.
“As soon as the cord will be cut, immediately skin-to-skin contact ‘yan. And then that is where you are going to tag the baby sa ankle niya. So ‘yan ‘yun ang i-strengthen namin ngayon na ‘yun talaga ang dapat i-fa-follow,” he added.
[“As soon as the cord is cut, there must be immediate skin-to-skin contact. Afterward, the baby is tagged on the ankle. That’s what we are reinforcing now—it must always be followed.”]
Bersaldo added that the best resolution would be to protect the children involved.
To uncover the truth and confirm if baby switching occurred, both parties underwent DNA testing, with Esmeralda and “Hazel” taking a maternal test, followed by a Cross-Match DNA test between the mothers and the children they raised.
Margie said that no matter what happens, she will always fight for “Camille,” as she is the child she raised, breastfed, and stayed awake for.
She added, “‘Yung pagiging anak naman hindi naman yun sa basta-basta dugo lang eh. Kasi pwede naman magiging anak kahit hindi ninyo kadugo eh.”
[“Being a child is not just about blood. Someone can be your child even if they are not your biological kin.”]
Although they are still awaiting the DNA test results, the two mothers agreed that they would not switch back children as they also considered the child’s welfare.
The DNA test results will be revealed on “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” next Sunday. —JCB, GMA Integrated News
