Two babies were exchanged in a hospital in La Rioja in 2002 due to a "human error"

Two babies were exchanged 19 years ago at the former San Millán Hospital in Logroño, due to a "human error" and "identification systems", as confirmed on Tuesday the Minister of Health and spokesman of the Government of La Rioja, Sara Sunrise.

The newspaper La Rioja has revealed the case this Tuesday occurred in 2002 in a medical center in the Rioja capital that today no longer exists.The two girls were born the same day and required being in the incubator.Then, when they should have returned with their respective parents, they were exchanged.

"The identification systems that were counted before were not in so much detail as now," said Minister Alba in an informative meeting.

DNA tests confirmed that they were not their parents

The facts were known because, in 2017, the grandmother of one of the girls filed a demand for food against her granddaughter's father, to which she refused to say that she was not her daughter.The Court of First Instance number 1 of Logroño then ordered a DNA test, which confirmed that the man was not the biological father.

It was also found that this girl, who was then 15 years old, did not have a genetic relationship that her mother considered, so in 2018 she claimed the investigation of her identification according to the principle of biological veracity.

However, it has not been possible to confirm at the moment the link with the other parents.Three years ago the supposed biological mother of this girl died and she is still pending to know the result of the DNA test performed, last January, to her supposed biological father.

One of the affected claims three million euros

The plaintiff has claimed compensation for more than three million euros for moral damages, while health offers 215.000 euros.

However, Minister Alba recalled that compensation by administrative means will not be able to resolve until the judicial process ends.In that sense, he has assured that his counseling is "deeply overturned in resolving the requested patrimonial claim and with absolute respect for judicial procedures and with the maximum collaboration with justice".

"We are available to the family to give the necessary support you may need, maintaining the confidentiality and respect that these types of situations require," he insisted.

"It would be impossible for something like that, today, it happened again," according to the government

In this case, the Health Ministry "guarantees that this situation cannot happen again", since "identification systems have changed in these years and the procedures are safe and reliable".

As explained, in 2002 a personal card with a digital footprint was held that was later modified with plantar footprint.At present, a blood sample of the umbilical cord is used, they have also indicated, trying to transfer a message of tranquility to the population."These current procedures allow to affirm that it would be impossible for something like that, today, it happened again," said the regional government spokeswoman.