A hospital mistake changed the life of Italian Antonella forever. When she was switched by hospital staff shortly after birth, another family took her home. The now 33-year-old first ended up with a cheeky father, then in an orphanage. It was only by chance that she found out who her biological parents were – and was now able to get a large compensation in court.
The fatal confusion happened on June 22, 1989 – Antonella and another girl named Lorena were born eleven minutes apart at the same hospital in Canosa, in the Puglia region. It was not until 23 years later that it was revealed that the two girls had been switched, reports the Italian newspaper Gazzetta di Mezzogiorno.
Girl has now ended up in an orphanage
Antonella’s real parents are from the middle class, but the mistake makes her grow up in poverty. In addition, she is beaten by the man she believes is her biological father. She was also placed in the orphanage for a while before finally being taken in by a family who treated her like their own daughter.
The mistake in the hospital was only discovered by accident. Because Antonella’s biological parents discovered a photo of the young woman ten years ago who looks very much like her biological mother. Contact has been made and a DNA test has been done. The suspicion was finally confirmed: Antonella was now certain that she had been switched in the hospital.
Now a court awarded the 33-year-old damages. Antonella should receive half a million euros. They “were unable to fully live out their family relationships” was the justification for the verdict. Her biological parents each receive 215,000 euros, Antonella’s biological brother receives 81,000 euros in compensation from the Apulia region. Lorena is also likely to receive compensation, but her verdict is still pending.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
