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Spain twins sue over birth mix-up | Spain twins sue over birth mix-up |
(about 19 hours later) | |
Spanish twins separated at birth 35 years ago through a hospital mix-up are suing the authorities. | Spanish twins separated at birth 35 years ago through a hospital mix-up are suing the authorities. |
The women, who had been brought up in different families, were reunited by chance in 2001. | |
They were born in a Canary Islands hospital, where one of them was swapped by mistake with another baby girl. | |
All three women are suing the islands' government. A lawyer for one of the twins said she was seeking 3m euros (£2.4m) in damages. | |
"It does not take a lot of effort to put yourself in the position of any of these people to understand the damage that has been done," said lawyer Socorro Perdomo. | "It does not take a lot of effort to put yourself in the position of any of these people to understand the damage that has been done," said lawyer Socorro Perdomo. |
He said that of the three people most directly affected, his client had suffered the most. | He said that of the three people most directly affected, his client had suffered the most. |
"The first right of any child is the right to their own personal and family identity," he said. | "The first right of any child is the right to their own personal and family identity," he said. |
DNA test | DNA test |
The mistake only came to light when the twins were 28. | The mistake only came to light when the twins were 28. |
Mr Perdomo said a friend of one of the twins was working in a shopping centre in Las Palmas in the island of Gran Canaria. | Mr Perdomo said a friend of one of the twins was working in a shopping centre in Las Palmas in the island of Gran Canaria. |
The other identical twin came in one day to buy clothes, but when the sales assistant tried to greet her with a kiss, the customer refused. | The other identical twin came in one day to buy clothes, but when the sales assistant tried to greet her with a kiss, the customer refused. |
The sales assistant, surprised, called her friend - the other twin - who assured her she had not been in the shop. | The sales assistant, surprised, called her friend - the other twin - who assured her she had not been in the shop. |
The sales assistant then realised she was dealing with twins and arranged for the two women to meet. | The sales assistant then realised she was dealing with twins and arranged for the two women to meet. |
DNA tests proved they were identical twins, said Mr Perdomo. | DNA tests proved they were identical twins, said Mr Perdomo. |
The lawsuit is against the government of the Canary Islands - part of Spain - where the mistake was made in a state hospital in 1973. | The lawsuit is against the government of the Canary Islands - part of Spain - where the mistake was made in a state hospital in 1973. |
Mr Perdomo said his client was taken out of a cot next to that of her twin sister and mistakenly replaced by another baby girl. His client was then raised by the family of that baby. | Mr Perdomo said his client was taken out of a cot next to that of her twin sister and mistakenly replaced by another baby girl. His client was then raised by the family of that baby. |
The non-twin was brought up believing that she was a twin sister. | The non-twin was brought up believing that she was a twin sister. |
All of those involved are remaining anonymous. | All of those involved are remaining anonymous. |
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