Couple finally take real son home after El Salvador hospital swap

A British father and his wife whose baby was swapped at birth in an El Salvador hospital have finally returned home with their real son - a year after he was born.

Richard Cushworth, originally from Bradford, West Yorkshire, and his wife Mercedes Casanellas, tracked down their son Moses after realising the baby they had been taking care of was not theirs.

But the couple said they still have no idea how the swap happened.

  • Suspicions over second baby's features

Ms Casanellas noticed the skin of her newborn was darker than the baby boy doctors handed her after she gave birth by emergency Caesarean in May 2015.

A DNA test taken after returning to their home in Dallas, Texas proved she was not the mother of the baby she had taken home.

Fearing their child could have been sold to human traffickers, the couple returned to El Salvador to make a TV appeal to find their son.

  • How their real baby was found

The hospital in El Salvador where their son was born. Credit: APTV / Channel 9

He was tracked down after authorities ordered other new mothers have their babies' DNA tested.

Describing the birth, Ms Casanellas said she saw her son only briefly after he was born.

"He was just passed by me and I gave him a kiss and then he was taken to the nursery and that was the last time I saw him."

The next day nurses brought her a baby and insisted it was hers, despite her immediate doubts.

"My first impression was 'This is not the same baby I saw last night'."

Describing how she felt at that moment the DNA proved the baby they had taken home was not theirs, she told the BBC:

Mr Cushworth added that he is surprised it took him so long to realise the baby they had taken home was not theirs.