Rosemary Rawlins, 77, had always suspected she was swapped at birth, but the full details of the mix-up have only now come to light through the ITV programme Long Lost Family. The case, which dates back to World War II, is so unprecedented that researchers say there are no laws governing how to reveal the truth to those involved.
Rosemary, from Sussex, grew up feeling like 'a cuckoo in the nest' due to her tall, athletic build and ability to tan easily, in contrast to her fairer siblings. A DNA test confirmed she was not genetically related to her family. Speaking to her cousin Nicky, she learned that on the night she was born in a nursing home in Weymouth, an air raid forced babies into the basement, and she was accidentally switched with another newborn.
The other woman, Jackie, who was born three days apart from Rosemary at the same nursing home, had no idea she was not biologically related to her family. DNA tests revealed that Jackie's brother Richard is Rosemary's full sibling, proving the switch. Richard, who still lives in the family home in Weymouth, described the revelation as a shock, but both he and Jackie are keen to meet Rosemary.
Rosemary, who became head of the family after her parents died early, said she has a wonderful family and does not want to lose them, but feels she has the right to know her biological origins. The Long Lost Family team described the case as the most complex they have ever encountered.
