Brothers by Accident: The Case of the Twins Exchanged in Colombia That Has Gone Around the World

  • Session

Brothers by Accident: The Case of the Twins Exchanged in Colombia That Has Gone Around the World

  • November 4, 2025 //
  • 2:34 pm -
  • 2:59 pm //

In December 1988, in Colombia, two pairs of twins were switched at birth due to a mistake in a hospital in Bogotá. This incident remained unknown for 26 years, until, by chance, the young men discovered the truth in 2014.

 

The Hospital Error

The first pair of twins, whom we will refer to as the Bogotá twins, were born on December 21, 1988, in a hospital in Bogotá. The following day, December 22, the second pair of twins, whom we will refer to as the Santander twins, were born in the municipality of Vélez, Santander. Due to a medical condition, one of the Santander twins was transferred to Bogotá. After his treatment, he was accidentally switched with one of the twins from the other family.

 

The Discovery

In 2014, a friend of one of the Bogotá twins visited a butcher shop in the city and noticed a striking resemblance between the butcher and her office friend. When she showed her friend (the Bogotá twin) a photo of the butcher, he was also astonished. After further investigation, they discovered that the other twin brothers also bore a strong resemblance to one another. This led to a meeting between the four young men, and they decided to take a DNA test, which confirmed the switch.

 

Legal Repercussions

The case was taken to court, and in June 2025, a court in Bogotá ruled in favor of the brothers, holding the hospital responsible for the switch and ordering compensation. The ruling acknowledged the harm caused by being raised in families that were not biologically theirs.

 

Social and Cultural Impact

This story drew national and international attention. The New York Times published a report on the case in 2015, and in 2024, Netflix released the documentary “Brothers by Accident.”

Additionally, international experts studied the case and published a book titled Accidental Brothers: The Story of Switched-at-Birth Twins and the Power of Nature and Nurture.

 

Conclusion

The case of these identical twins switched at birth allows us to reflect on the influence of genetics and environment in shaping an individual. It underscores the value of human identification testing and serves as a powerful reminder of the critical importance of newborn identification protocols in hospitals. A single error can have profound repercussions on people’s lives.

In December 1988, in Colombia, two pairs of twins were switched at birth due to a mistake in a hospital in Bogotá. This incident remained unknown for 26 years, until, by chance, the young men discovered the truth in 2014.

 

The Hospital Error

The first pair of twins, whom we will refer to as the Bogotá twins, were born on December 21, 1988, in a hospital in Bogotá. The following day, December 22, the second pair of twins, whom we will refer to as the Santander twins, were born in the municipality of Vélez, Santander. Due to a medical condition, one of the Santander twins was transferred to Bogotá. After his treatment, he was accidentally switched with one of the twins from the other family.

 

The Discovery

In 2014, a friend of one of the Bogotá twins visited a butcher shop in the city and noticed a striking resemblance between the butcher and her office friend. When she showed her friend (the Bogotá twin) a photo of the butcher, he was also astonished. After further investigation, they discovered that the other twin brothers also bore a strong resemblance to one another. This led to a meeting between the four young men, and they decided to take a DNA test, which confirmed the switch.

 

Legal Repercussions

The case was taken to court, and in June 2025, a court in Bogotá ruled in favor of the brothers, holding the hospital responsible for the switch and ordering compensation. The ruling acknowledged the harm caused by being raised in families that were not biologically theirs.

 

Social and Cultural Impact

This story drew national and international attention. The New York Times published a report on the case in 2015, and in 2024, Netflix released the documentary “Brothers by Accident.”

Additionally, international experts studied the case and published a book titled Accidental Brothers: The Story of Switched-at-Birth Twins and the Power of Nature and Nurture.

 

Conclusion

The case of these identical twins switched at birth allows us to reflect on the influence of genetics and environment in shaping an individual. It underscores the value of human identification testing and serves as a powerful reminder of the critical importance of newborn identification protocols in hospitals. A single error can have profound repercussions on people’s lives.

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Brought to you by

Worldwide Association of Women Forensic Experts

Juan Yunis

Director Científico, Servicios Médicos Yunis Turbay y Cia SAS | Profesor Titular, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Juan J. Yunis is the Director Científico at the Servicios Médicos Yunis Turbay y Cia SAS, Bogotá, Colombia. He is also Profesor Titular in the Departamento de Patología at the Facultad de Medicina e Instituto de Genética at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He has 28 years of experience In Forensic Genetics, and is one of the pioneers of DNA testing in Colombia. He is the director of the largest forensic genetics private laboratory in Colombia, and won the Colombian National Academy of Medicine Award in 2002 and 2004.

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