Odd sight in the delivery room
In the delivery room at 2 a.m., Ellen Morris had a yellow wristband on her left wrist. It is a mark of surveillance. The two men in suits standing behind the doctor and nurse are court recorders, and Ellen bites her lip with each wave of contractions. Dr. Leonard whispered. Ellen shudders at the thought that this child may never be returned to her hands. Why would anyone from the court be present at the birth?
Instant DNA collection
Amidst the baby’s cries, Ellen reached out to say, “Let me hold you…” but the nurse quickly took the baby away to the treatment room. As you look through the glass at the nurse’s puzzled glance at the doctor, you see a court official labeling the sample containers. I have never yet held the child I gave birth to. The nurse’s voice echoed mechanically, “Here are the samples for DNA testing.” Ellen’s hands remain open, as if grasping at the sky. A few days later, the results are announced.
Third disagreement
Four days later, Ellen raised her upper body from the bed as the doctor and court personnel entered her hospital room. The doctor opened a document and read out the results of the DNA test in a matter-of-fact manner. Ellen’s vision shook as the doctor read the results of the DNA test: “No match, no biological parent-child relationship between you and the newborn. For the third time, the doctor said, “I have seen it with my own eyes. For the third time, Ellen’s vision shook as she heard the doctor mutter, “This is the child I took away with my own eyes…” Ellen could not stop the tears from falling from her eyes as she understood that even though she had given birth in front of her eyes, even though she had given birth while being monitored, science would still deny it. How did this happen? It goes back two years.
Happy Past
Two years ago, at the moment her second child, Sophia, was born in a small maternity hospital in Washington State, Jason Townsend held Ellen’s hand and said, “You did great.” Ellen’s heart was peaceful as she smiled and watched her 4-year-old son Ryan approach his sister fearfully and touch Sophia’s hand with his tiny fingers. Ellen’s heart was at peace. Everything seemed perfect the night they returned to their apartment, the four of them sitting around a small table and laughing together. But this happiness would only last two years.
Third Child Pregnancy
A year and a half later, Ellen picked up a test kit in the bathroom and stared at the two lines. Third one…” she muttered to herself in the mirror, feeling a complex mix of joy and anxiety. My relationship with Jason had been strained recently, and his job was unstable, so he was spending less and less time at home. When he opens the refrigerator to hear Ryan’s voice in the living room saying, “Mom, I’m hungry,” there are only leftovers. But this pregnancy will change everything.
Parting Decisions
On the night of my second month of pregnancy, my last argument with Jason began in my apartment. He had lost his job again and looked away from the unpaid bills piled on the table. Ellen’s voice shook. In the next room, Ryan and Sofia were gasping for air. Ellen stood up and announced, “I can’t do this anymore,” Jason’s face contorted and the door slammed violently shut. With her hand on her stomach, Ellen made the decision to live as a single mother.
Days of Poverty
Three months later, Jason packs his bags and leaves, leaving Ellen with two children and a pregnant body in the apartment. As she received a letter from the landlord reminding her to pay the rent on time, she opened the refrigerator to find only milk and an ear of bread, and Sophia complained that she was hungry. Ellen spread jam on the bread ear, and Ryan gave his half to his sister without saying a word. At night, when she looks at job postings, there is no place that will hire her with her pregnant body. Ellen then decides to go to the Department of Social Services. What she doesn’t know yet is that her decision is a gateway to hell.
Request for DNA test
When Ellen presented her application at the social welfare office, the female employee in charge looked over the documents and confirmed that she was pregnant with her two children and separated from their father. The official smiled kindly, but informed her that she needed proof of parent-child relationship and a DNA test in order to apply for social assistance. Ellen nodded lightly at the explanation that “there have been a lot of scams lately,” and thought it would be a simple procedure. But when she left the counter, Ellen did not notice. She did not notice a man staring at her from the far end of the hallway.
Inspection for the whole family
At the designated laboratory, Ellen arrived 10 minutes earlier than the appointed time and felt Ryan and Sophia anxiously gripping the hem of her dress as she held the referral letter from the Department of Social Services in her hand. When they went to the lab for the DNA test, Jason had also come to help as the father of the child and would not make eye contact with him. The technician told her that the results would be available in a few days, and Ellen left the testing laboratory with the children in hand. It was supposed to be just a formal procedure, but a few days later, the phone rings, destroying Ellen’s life.
Ominous call
Four days later, Ellen’s cell phone rings and she is told that the Social Services Department needs her there as soon as possible. The next day, as she walked down the corridor to the social welfare office again, she heard her footsteps echoing loudly. I was led to a private room at the back of the building, and when I opened the door, I found a police officer in a suit standing next to the officer in charge. It was not normal for the police to be present at a social welfare application. Ellen notices the strange atmosphere.
Appearance of a police officer
The air in the private room is heavy and somber, the expression on the face of the official in charge is hard, and the police officer stands with his arms crossed. Prompted to sit down in a chair, Ellen stares at a sheet of paper the officer pulls out: a report on the results of the DNA analysis. As she looks down at the paper, unable to comprehend the list of numbers and technical terms, the police officer opens his mouth for the first time and announces in a low voice, “A serious problem has been uncovered. Ellen’s hands begin to shake. Ellen’s hands begin to shake, and she can’t believe what she hears.
She’s not a mother.
Ellen could not understand the words that came out of the staff member’s mouth, “The DNA test results show that you and your children are not related. The air in the private room froze, and when Ellen shook her head and said, “It’s a mistake, I gave birth, I gave birth right in front of you,” science denied it. Ellen’s breathing becomes shallow as the police officer steps forward and asks, “Who are you and where is your real mother?” Ellen’s world begins to crumble noisily.
Father matches
To add to the shock, we are told that Jason Townsend’s DNA is a perfect match to the children, proving his paternity, but only Ellen is different. As the police officer stares at her and suggests the possibility of adultery or kidnapping, Ellen just keeps shaking her head and is unable to speak. Ellen’s vision blurred when the official told her that she could be charged with fraud. The children, Ryan and Sophia, we could lose them. We may charge them with fraud.
Consultation with a Lawyer
That evening, Ellen visited the office of attorney Alan Tindell, who was introduced to her by an acquaintance, and told him everything in a trembling voice. Tindell looked over the documents and, after a moment of silence, said, “It’s a tough situation, but there are ways to fight. Ellen clung to what little hope she had. But the fight will be tougher than she imagined. No one thought at the time that the law, science, and many other things would stand in the way of Ellen and her friends.
Suspected Kidnapping
The following week, Ellen was summoned to the police station, and in the interrogation room, the detective asked her where her real mother was and when and where she got the children. When Ellen answered, “I gave birth to them, in a hospital,” the detective’s gaze sharpened, saying, “I have the birth certificates, but the DNA denies it.” Ellen began to doubt her memory. Did I really give birth to her, no, it can’t be. Then the worst notification arrives.
Child Protection
Ellen clutched the paper as she read the official notice from the Department of Social Services stating that they were considering temporary custody for the children’s safety. The paper slipped from Ellen’s hand as she stared at the sight of Ryan and Sophia in the living room, stacking blocks and laughing, because it is not their mother who has to send them to an institution, but because science says so. The horror of having her children taken away from her, the fear of it all enveloped Ellen.
gathering evidence
At the direction of Attorney Tyndell, Ellen began gathering evidence and searched for her name in an old file cabinet in the medical records room at Washington State Hospital. She found Ellen Morris’s birth records, all records of Sophia’s birth two years ago and Ryan’s birth four years ago. As I left the records room with the copies of these records, I wondered, but would this be enough, would it be enough to compete with science? But this evidence is still not enough.
Mother’s testimony
Ellen’s mother, Carol Morris, came forward as a witness and testified in Tindell’s office, “I was present, I was at Sophia’s birth, I was at Ryan’s birth, there is no doubt, I saw it with my own eyes.” Tyndell recorded the testimony, but said, “Testimony alone is weak, to counter the scientific evidence of DNA testing.” As Ellen held her mother’s hand, she realized that science does not even believe her mother’s words.
Physician’s testimony
When Tyndell asked Dr. Leonard, the obstetrician/gynecologist in charge of Ellen’s delivery, to testify, the doctor checked the medical records and said, “The records are there, Ellen Morris did indeed give birth, no doubt. But the doctor adds, “You can’t beat scientific evidence. Hearing these words, Ellen left the doctor’s office and felt that human testimony was powerless in the face of science.
Second inspection
At Tindell’s suggestion, a second DNA test is performed, and Ellen requests it at her own expense at a different laboratory, on the slim hope of a possible testing error. A technician in a white coat performs the test again, and Ryan and Sophia are also tested again. When the technician told her that the results would be in a week, Ellen left the laboratory with the children and prayed under an umbrella in the rain outside. However, the results did not change.
Second disagreement
A week later, Ellen held her breath as the test results arrived at Tindell’s office and the envelope was opened. As she watches Tindell’s expression cloud over as he looks over the paperwork, she hears the words, “The results were the same, DNA mismatch,” as a heavy silence dominates the room. Ellen’s knees relax and she sinks deeper into her chair. For the second time. Another lab, same result. Even though Tyndell said, “We are not giving up yet, there is a way,” Ellen could no longer see any hope. The absolute wall of science continues to stand in Ellen’s way.
Mother’s testimony in court
In the wooden pews of the courthouse, Ellen sat in the defendant’s chair and watched as Carol took the witness stand. When the prosecutor questioned her, “Were you present at the birth of your daughter?”, Carol nodded, “I saw it with my own eyes, I have no doubt,” but the prosecutor said, “That is subjective testimony, the scientific evidence contradicts it.” The judge banged his gavel and announced, “It’s inadmissible,” and Carol’s testimony was not adopted. Ellen saw her mother’s tears. Mother’s tears are ignored in court.
Disruption of Lives
As the trial continued, Ellen’s life fell apart, and when she was three months behind on her rent, the electricity was shut off. At night, the apartment was dark and the children were wrapped in blankets. The refrigerator is empty, with only canned food from the food bank, Ryan coughs a small cough, and Sophia snuggles in without saying a word. Ellen apologized to the children, saying she was sorry, but her voice was shaky. And then the situation gets even worse.
Deprivation of Parental Rights Hearing
When Ellen received a new subpoena from the court and was informed that the legal proceedings were entering the final stages with a custody deprivation hearing, she trembled with the subpoena in hand. Despite Tindell’s preparations, the odds were against her, and the barrier of DNA testing and the absolute evidence of science stood in her way. Ellen looked at herself in the mirror, checking her gaunt face and sunken eyes, and asked herself if this was the face of an impostor or a kidnapper. Then the humiliation in the courtroom begins.
Humiliation in court
The press and onlookers were seated in the courtroom, and the prosecutor stood up and claimed that the woman was a fraud, that she kidnapped the children and tried to fraudulently receive welfare benefits. Ellen, face down in the defendant’s seat, hears whispers from the audience, “She’s a terrible woman, poor kids. Tindell countered, “We have evidence, birth records, doctors’ testimony, mother’s testimony,” but the prosecutor said, “DNA disproves it, science doesn’t lie,” and the judge makes the final decision.
Supervised birth order
Ellen held her breath when the judge ruled and told her that a third DNA test would be conducted, but this time it would be taken at the site of the birth. She would be given the most sacred moment of her life in the spectacle of a supervised birth, in the presence of a doctor and a court official. Ellen could only nod as Tyndell put his hand on her shoulder and told her, “This is your last chance. She continues to apologize in her mind as she feels the baby moving in her belly. Ellen accepts the most humiliating proposal.
Late pregnancy in solitude
At eight months pregnant, Ellen was alone in her apartment. Ryan and Sophia were temporarily placed in a child care facility, and visits were only once a week. In the empty apartment, Ellen spoke to her baby belly, “It’s okay, Mommy’s here,” but her voice was shaky. Carol visits occasionally at night to bring food, and although mother and daughter rarely speak to each other, just being in the same space eases their loneliness a little. Whenever the baby in her belly moved, Ellen prayed that she would only be allowed to hold this child.
Beginning of labor
At 2 a.m., Ellen woke up with a sudden pain and sat on the edge of her bed, holding her stomach and breathing. It is labor pains. She picks up her cell phone and calls the hospital, telling them she is on her way and calls a cab alone. As we drove through the city at night, I felt a mixture of anticipation that I would see her soon, but also anxiety that I might not be able to hold her. Eventually, the cab stopped in front of the hospital and she slowly got out. Then the moment of destiny arrives.
Arrival at the hospital
When the automatic doors opened at the hospital entrance, Ellen went to the reception desk, but another contraction hit her and she put her hands against the wall. A nurse rushed to her and seated her in a wheelchair, and the elevator ascended, taking her to the maternity ward on the third floor. Two men in suits stood in front of the delivery room down the hallway, court recorders. They stared at Ellen blankly, and she got up from her wheelchair and walked through the open delivery room door. The birth was about to begin. And once again, science is about to judge Ellen.
Supervised Birth
In the delivery room, the doctor and nurses were getting ready, and two recorders in suits stood in the corner of the room with notebooks and pens. Ellen lies on the delivery table and grits her teeth as the doctor tells her to take a deep breath and strain as a wave of contractions rushes through her. The recorder’s pen moved and something was written in the chart. We will see him soon, but will we be able to hold this baby? Hearing the doctor say, “I can see the head, I’m almost there,” Ellen exerted her last bit of strength. This is the last battle.
Birth of a baby
The baby’s cries echoed through the delivery room and Ellen reached for her, but the nurse quickly took the baby toward the treatment table. Through the glass you can see a swab to collect oral mucosa, and the recorder approaches to check the sample container and write her name on the label. Ellen has yet to see the face of the child she gave birth to, and has not even been told the sex. As the doctors continue to process the placenta, Ellen’s hands remain open as if grasping at the sky. And so begins several days of waiting.
Loneliness in the hospital room
Lying on a bed by the window in a postpartum hospital room, Ellen stares at a young mother holding her baby in the bed next to her. Her own baby was quarantined in the newborn room and she was not allowed to see him until the results of the DNA test were available. Ellen stared at the ceiling, seeing only the white ceiling and the fluorescent light. She hears laughter from the bed next to her; it must be a family member visiting. No one comes to Ellen. Four days later, the fateful outcome is announced.
Third disagreement
Four days later, Ellen raised her upper body from the bed as the doctor and court personnel entered her hospital room. The doctor read the results of the DNA test in a matter-of-fact manner. Ellen’s vision shook as the doctor read the results of the DNA test: “No match, no biological parent-child relationship between you and the newborn. For the third time. For the third time, Ellen’s vision shook as she heard the doctor mutter, “This is the child I took away with my own eyes…” Ellen could not stop the tears from falling from her eyes as she heard the doctor mutter, “I gave birth to him right in front of my eyes, while he was being monitored, and yet I understood that science would deny it. However, Attorney Tyndell found a case.
Possibility of chimeras
That evening, Tyndell visited my hospital room and brought me a copy of a medical paper. It was a case from Boston, where a woman named Karen Keegan also had a DNA mismatch with her own child, but a closer examination revealed it to be a chimera. Two DNA in a human body.Ellen stared at the paper as Tyndell explained, “It could have been twins early in pregnancy, and one absorbed the other, resulting in different DNA in the blood and ovaries.” The language is incomprehensible, but there is hope. Ellen hung on to the slightest possibility.
Deciding on a full inspection
The next day, a geneticist woman in a white coat appeared in her hospital room with specialized equipment and told her that she would need to examine all the tissues in her body. When Ellen agreed to have blood, skin, hair, and oral mucosa samples taken, all samples were placed in containers. The geneticist told her that the results would be available in a week, but a few days later she received a progress report: blood, skin, hair, and oral mucosa were all inconsistent. Ellen’s hope is almost gone again. Finally, however, a tissue sample of the cervix is taken.
Revealing the Truth
A week later, a geneticist showed up at Tindell’s office and unfolded the paperwork for the test results. It takes Ellen a moment to make sense of it when she hears that the DNA taken from the cervical tissue was an exact match to the DNA of her children. The geneticist said she had only seen this in textbooks and heard her explain that she was a tetragametic chimera, a twin at the beginning of her pregnancy, but one absorbed the other, resulting in different DNA in her blood and ovaries. Ellen’s ovaries carried the DNA of the twin sisters who were never born. And this truth will be revealed in court.
Truth in Court
The courtroom was packed with geneticists as witnesses and the auditorium was lined with press cameras. After explaining that “Ellen Morris is an extremely rare case in which the DNA differs between her blood and ovaries,” Dr. Leonard was called upon. ‘Indeed I took it up. And yet there is no match… I thought it was a testing error.” Hearing this testimony, the prosecutor fell silent before the scientific evidence. When the judge banged his gavel and announced, “I withdraw the indictment and declare you not guilty,” there was a groan from the audience and Ellen shed tears for the first time.
Reunion with Children
The day after the verdict, Ellen visited the child shelter and saw Ryan and Sophia running in as the door to the visiting room opened; they were hugging, Ryan’s small hand holding her back. Sophia was crying aloud and Ellen sat down on the floor with them in her arms. Ellen holds her own child for the first time as the staff brings the baby to her. Feeling the warmth of their bodies, their tiny breaths, and their soft skin, she realized that all three children were finally back in their mother’s arms.
Reconciliation with father
When she leaves the hospital that night, Jason is waiting for her and he approaches and stops. Ellen stares into his face as he says, “I was wrong, I should have trusted you.” Jason continues, “I don’t want you back, but I want you to let me be involved with the kids as a father, and I will change,” and Ellen is silent for a moment, but eventually nods. Ellen was silent for a moment, but then nodded her head, because the children needed a father. Tears well up in Jason’s eyes, the two shake hands, and go their separate ways.
A New Normal
A few months later, electricity had returned to Ellen’s apartment, her welfare had been approved, and she had begun a stable life. One day, a reporter from a medical journal came to interview her and the case was to be published as an article, and Karen Keegan from Boston called and the two talked for a long time. Ellen told the children that their aunt, who was not born in Mom’s body, is also alive. Ryan and Sophia nodded curiously, and the spring sun was shining outside the window. Ellen is herself and her invisible sisters. And that is a truth that no one can take away.
*This story is fiction. All characters and events are fictitious and have no relation to real people or events. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only.
