Mistaken Identity (1999)

Plot Summary

Sarah Barlow (Melissa Gilbert) is educated, wealthy and expecting her first child. Three weeks before her due date, Sarah suddenly goes into labor. Linda Wells (Rosanna Arquette), an unmarried, uneducated, unworldly young bank teller who lives nearby, arrives at the same hospital in full labor. Within minutes of each other, the two baby boys are born, a rare event at this country hospital. The two new mothers share the same room and become acquainted, even if they are very different and likely never to see each other again. A year and a half later, when Linda battles her ex boyfriend Darryl for child support, and he denies being the father, Linda is forced to get a DNA test to prove her case. The results are stunning; neither Linda nor Darryl are the parents. This triggers a sequence of events where Sarah Barlow and her husband must also undergo DNA testing, even as they are infuriated by the suggestion of a mix-up. The results are irrefutable and both parents immediately sue the hospital. Meanwhile Darryl sees financial gain from the matter and becomes friendly with Linda again, but she eventually realizes Darryl has plans of his own regarding the potential settlement. When the court is ready to decide the fate of the children, Linda sides with Sarah and her husband, in order to save her child... children, from shared custody with Darryl. As a result, the judgment excludes Darryl and the fate of the boys is put in the hands of the three remaining parents. A heartbreaking drama, based on real events.