North Dakota Hospital Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Baby Switch That Went Undetected for 36 Years

Clear Facts

• Two men born on the same day in 1988 at Unity Medical Center in Grafton, North Dakota, allegedly went home with each other’s biological families due to a hospital error
• The switch was discovered only two years ago when one of the men took a DNA test
• Both families are now suing the hospital for more than $50,000 in damages, while the hospital denies all allegations and claims the statute of limitations may bar the case

Two North Dakota families have filed a lawsuit against Unity Medical Center in Grafton, alleging that hospital staff switched two newborn baby boys at birth more than three decades ago. The plaintiffs claim the error went unnoticed for 36 years, fundamentally altering the course of both men’s lives.

Kyle Bylin and Jeremy Morrison were the only two babies born at the hospital on January 26, 1988. According to the lawsuit, hospital staff mistakenly switched the infants and sent them home with the other child’s biological parents. Both men were subsequently raised by each other’s biological families, with no one aware of the error.

The truth came to light just two years ago when Morrison, who now lives in Colorado, took a DNA test. The results revealed that the parents who raised him were not his biological parents. Morrison explained that his aunt provided DNA for comparison, and Bylin matched as her nephew—despite Morrison having no known cousins.

“I didn’t have anyone that looked like me in my family,” Morrison said.

“I was that blonde-haired kid that stood out in a family full of brown-haired people.”

Morrison reflected on how different his life would have been had he been raised by his biological family.

“I know I definitely wouldn’t be here in Colorado today if I went home with the right parents,” he said.

“I would have been working the farm with my older brother that I never knew I had.”

Both sets of parents have now met their biological sons, though Morrison and Bylin have not yet met each other. The lawsuit names Christian Unity Hospital Corporation, doing business as Unity Medical Center, as the defendant. The plaintiffs are seeking more than $50,000 in damages and have requested a jury trial.

Unity Medical Center has denied all allegations and asked the court to dismiss the case with prejudice. Attorneys for the hospital argued that staff “possessed and exercised the appropriate degree of skill and learning” and “at all times used reasonable care, judgment, and diligence.”

The hospital also raised the statute of limitations as a potential defense, citing “the length of time that has passed between the alleged incident and the service of this lawsuit.” Additionally, the hospital invoked comparative fault, suggesting that any damages could be attributable to parties other than the hospital itself. The hospital has also demanded a jury trial.

In a statement, Unity Medical Center said it is “currently working to better understand a highly unusual situation involving two men who apparently were separated from their biological parents at some point during their lives.”

“Both men were born at our hospital on the same day in 1988, and we recognize the profound impact this discovery has had on them and their families,” the statement continued.

“Unfortunately, because of the passage of nearly four decades, the medical and staffing records that might have provided additional clarity no longer exist, and no members of the delivery team from that time are still employed by the hospital.”

“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 case raises significant questions about hospital protocols and accountability, particularly when errors allegedly occur decades in the past. The outcome will likely hinge on whether the plaintiffs can overcome the statute of limitations defense and prove negligence despite the absence of contemporary records.

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