Two Norwegian women recently uncovered a startling fact: they were switched at birth nearly 60 years ago, a revelation that led them to sue the state.
The alleged switch took place in 1965 at Eggesboenes Hospital in central Norway, a private institution known for housing newborns separately from their mothers.
The women, both 59, claim that Norwegian health authorities knew about the mistake for decades and kept it hidden.
Karen Rafteseth Dokken delivered her daughter at the hospital on February 14, 1965.
According to her testimony, she left with a baby she believed was her own, naming the infant Mona. Though Mona grew up with different physical characteristics, Dokken assumed she had inherited traits from her husband's family. However, in 2001, a DNA test revealed that Mona was not her biological daughter, according to theP news Associated Press.
Dokken testified on how the discovery shattered her.
"It was never my thought that Mona was not my daughter," she said tearfully, as per the outlet. At 78, Dokken is still grappling with the reality that her biological daughter, Linda Karin Risvik Gotaas, grew up with a different family.
The lawsuit claims that Norwegian health authorities knew about the switch as early as 1985, yet failed to inform the families. Mona's attorney, Kristine Aarre Haanes, argued in court that the state "violated her right to her own identity" for decades.
Haanes asserted that the authorities' failure to act compounded the harm, as Mona lost the chance to know her biological family.
Health authorities contend that they lacked the authority to intervene because the incident occurred in a private institution. Officials argue that under Norwegian law in the 1980s, notifying families of such discoveries was not mandatory. Still, the plaintiffs believe that an apology and compensation are due, as the error has irrevocably altered their lives.
The case also highlights a broader issue: reports indicate that several infant swaps occurred at Eggesboenes Hospital in the 1950s and 1960s. Why these switches happened remains unclear, but families are now seeking accountability.
Adding to the complexity, the woman who raised Dokken's biological daughter reportedly learned of the error in 1981 but decided against seeking a maternity claim.
