Why strawberry blonde stood out in her Mexican family (hospital baby switch)

The Telegraph, London via SMH | December 10, 2003 | Charles Laurence in New York

[dead]

For as long as she could remember Debra DeLay - a tall strawberry blonde with blue eyes - struggled to work out why she looked so different from her family of short, dark-haired Mexicans. "I was the only white child on that whole side of town," she remembers. "I just didn't fit in."

Today, she says: "I knew all along that I wasn't with the right family." But it took more than 40 years to find out Debra had been switched at birth.

Instead of leaving with her biological parents, James and Jean Morgan, she went home from the hospital in Gillette, Wyoming, with Polly Munoz, from a family of immigrants from Mexico. Meanwhile, Ms Munoz's baby, Shirley, was swept up into the Morgans' tight-knit Irish-American family, one of eight siblings.

Both grew up wanting to belong but feeling that they never fitted. Instead, each lived someone else's life. Now they are each suing the company that ran Campbell County Memorial hospital, where they were born in 1958. They discovered their true identities only after Mr Morgan - who had always suspected that Shirley might not be his real daughter - suffered a heart attack two years ago. From his hospital bed, he revealed his fears to another daughter, Kathie.

Kathie organised DNA tests and Shirley was not related to her parents. She did not, after all, owe her complexion and hair colour to a French-Canadian grandmother. That could mean only that there was, as Mr Morgan had always feared, another misidentified child.

Kathie searched for her biological sister, scouring the hospital's birth records for a second girl born the same day and then school year books.

Her persistence paid off: she discovered 17-year-old Polly Munoz in a 1958 high school yearbook. Looking at the picture of the smiling schoolgirl, Kathie knew that she had found Shirley's biological mother.

The hunt for Polly, and the woman she thought was her daughter, continued with the help of a "confidential intermediary". Within six hours, she had found Debra DeLay in Phoenix, Arizona. "I called her and told her that she and another child were switched at birth," the intermediary recalled. "There was dead silence on the phone."

Polly Munoz had always told her daughter that she took after her father, a sailor with Irish roots called Daniel Dooley. In a recent television documentary, Debra DeLay struggled to explain the emotional trauma caused by the mistake in the maternity ward. "When I got that phone call I was in shock," she said. "I mean, after 43 years, you just discover who you are?"

Mr Morgan described how Debra rushed into his arms. "She came flying in here and all heaven broke loose," he said. They insist they have "gained" a daughter without losing Shirley. "We love both girls. We love them very much," Mr Morgan said.

[bethelgrad]

Isn't that funny that you can see that stuff in your kids even when they are newborn? I could make out both my boys personalities almost from the day they were born.

[SquirrelKing]

Hehehehe!

[warchild9]

Brazilians are considered Portuguese, and not Spanish-speaking "Hispanics." Because they are not considered white men, though, they are entitiled to the full benefits of affirmative action reverse discrimination.

By the way, my wife's family (they're Cuban) is mostly Greek, and contains many members who are as blond and blue-eyed as Yours Truly.

As the Mrs. says, "Hispanic" is an ethnicity, not a race, you dum dums!

[autoresponder]

My surname was shortened three times from a German surname

At college they thought it looked/sounded Spanish

Yet I am 1/4 American Indian but that requires a %age test by the government!

I was told by CT Rep. Chris Shays I could get all kinds of goodies if I proved my Injun bloodlines; my comment: "Why? Why?"

(paraphrased from Nancy Kerrigan)

Now Peruvian Indian illegal aliens just off the plane can instantly get all types of USA freevies just with a name like Juan Santiago.

A black illegal alien from Nigeria just off the boat only needs "one drop" of black blood to qualify.

But where are my Foxwoods profits Mr. Liberal?

Why reward those who live on the reservation/plantation?

Not griping; just pointing out the liberal PC crud!

WABC 770am NYC talk radio and other stations regularly run public interest ads telling illegal aliens they can get the "FOOD CARD" without any fear.

Charming.

Our tax dollars at work.

"WELCOME TO FAT CITY USA!"

[autoresponder]

Did she check your "papers"?

Lotsa tall good lookin' blue-eyed blondes in SA.

Note the Miss Universe is loaded with many of those Germanic/Nordic/Viking beauties from SA.

Yup the AA backlash is coming.

Bigtime.

Over 20% (est. by IRS sources) refuse "voluntary taxation"

Much because hard working Americans are fed up with unelected judges and bureaucrats and elected dim/lib scumbags stealing our paychecks.

Taxed, then double-taxed to pay for illegal aliens and welfare whores and pimps.

Many Americans have opted out of the "voluntary" system and the %age is growing fast.

For those moe affluent the Kennedy/Feinstein/Clinton tax attorneys and tax accountants are ready with "trusts", "foundations", "off-shore Irish golf course income-tax dual-citizenship/residences"

And multi-millionaire John FKerry is right there with them.

J FK

He's no JFK!

[Norse]

I think you mean John "F Word" Kerry

[Ignatz]

Both grew up wanting to belong but feeling that they never fitted.
Fortunately, no one else ever feels like they "don't fit in" during their teenage years! [/sarcasm]

Instead, each lived someone else's life.
Patently ridiulous! Each lived (and continues to live) their own life. In this case, "their own life" includes being switched at birth.

Now they are each suing the company that ran Campbell County Memorial hospital, where they were born in 1958.
Ahhhh! Now we're getting to the crux of the matter, eh? I hope sister "Kathy-the-Busybody" gets her well-earned cut!

Freekin' drama queens!!

[PLMerite]

LOL! Their last name wasn't "Eichmann," "Bormann" or "Skorzeny" was it?

[johnb838]

I knew a Mexican once, his name was Cortez. He had cousins in Germany whose name was spelled Kortes. There was a lot of Mexican-German mixing around the time Mexico hired Maximillian to come and be their emporer since they recognized they were incapable of governing themselves. I dated a girl who was half Boston Brahmin and half Mexico City Mexican. Tall and blonde and dual-citizen. When she went home to Mexico she would tell the mexican immigration people she couldn't speak spanish to simplify matters.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Brazilians do not speak Spanish.

[Saundra Duffy]

Major "Duh"

[Ditto]

Ditto, I watched that bracelet go on their ankles and memorized the number, checked that it matched the one on my wrist AND followed them in for the shots and cleanup.

In 1957, the typical hospital birth was no fathers in the delivery room and the mother put to sleep. You didn't get to see the baby till the staff was ready to show you.

[Paradox]

By the way, my wife's family (they're Cuban) is mostly Greek, and contains many members who are as blond and blue-eyed as Yours Truly.

Very interesting, my wife's parents were Cuban, her father was of Spanish heritage, but of Italian descent. Her mother was a blonde white lady, forgot her origins, but something northern european I think.

[Norse]

No, actually it was Shroeder, like Gerhard Shroeder the German Chancellor...no relation I might add

[Tree of Liberty]

A lot of Italians are part black due to occupation by the Moors or some such.

"Now, if that's a fact, tell me, am I lying?"