A judge has approved a settlement that gives custody of switched-at-birth teen Kimberly Mays to her biological parents.
Circuit Judge Stephen Dakan's order Friday officially grants parental rights to Ernest and Regina Twigg, her biological parents. But it also preserves the parental rights of Bob Mays, who raised 15-year-old Kimberly. All three are now legal guardians.The girl received a judge's permission in August to stay away from the Twiggs. But in March, she suddenly bolted from Mays and went to stay with the couple. The settlement reached last week throws out the August order.
The two families had battled in court over Kimberly since a mysterious hospital baby switch came to light in 1988. The baby girl the Twiggs took home in 1978 was named Arlena. She died of a heart defect in 1988 and medical tests during her illness determined she was not related to the Twiggs.
They learned that Kimberly was born at the hospital during the same week. Tests showed that she was their daughter.