John William Carr III and Jackie Lee Spencer, both 77 years old, are suing the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia, USA. They allege that they were mistakenly switched at birth by the staff at St Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon in August 1942, and were raised in different families without knowing their true parentage.
The men claim that nearly 80 years ago, they were taken home by each other’s parents, an error that was only uncovered recently through DNA testing.
The lawsuit filed by both men in Monongalia County Circuit Court accuses the hospital of negligence and breach of duty.
They state that until last year, they were unaware of their true heritage, as DNA tests revealed that they had no genetic connection to the families who raised them, but were related to each other’s families.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the lifelong impact and suffering their families endured as a result of the switch.
When contacted by the Daily Mail, diocese spokesman Tim Bishop declined to comment on the ongoing legal case.
According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, Charles Crooks, Spencer spent years searching for the man listed as his biological father on his birth certificate, only to be told that the man had abandoned his mother before his birth.
Spencer’s pursuit, guided by an old photo and limited personal details from his mother, led him to take a DNA test, which revealed no relation to the man. Subsequent tests also invalidated his connection to the family he had known as his own.
Further DNA analysis linked him to Carr’s family, and upon further investigation, it was discovered that Carr was born on the same day at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Spencer and his wife, Phyllis, reached out to Carr, and a mutual DNA test confirmed their relation.
‘The revelation solved a mystery that Jack and Phyllis had been unraveling for decades,’ noted Crooks. ‘They never anticipated this to be the answer.’
‘Most of the people Jack should have known his entire life are no longer here. He is mourning the loss of the life he was meant to have, while balancing these emotions with his love and gratitude for the family he has known all his life,’ the lawsuit stated.
Carr, on the other hand, always felt like an outsider in the family that raised him, as he looked distinct from them. His attorney mentioned that Carr’s father frequently remarked on the dissimilarity.
Carr left home at 17 to join the Marine Corps. At 77, he is married and has a stepson.
Crooks noted that until August 14, 2019, when Carr and Spencer received the DNA results, their families had never crossed paths despite living in different counties.
‘It was an intense blend of emotions,’ added Crooks, highlighting the unexpected impact on Carr.
Spencer and Carr met for the first time on their shared birthday last year.