Czech baby mix-up nurses sacked

A Czech hospital where two babies were mixed up at birth has sacked two nurses and disciplined five staff members.

The case - in which two mothers have brought up the wrong baby girls for 10 months - has shocked the country.

The director of Trebic Hospital gave details of the hospital's internal inquiry into the affair at a special televised news conference.

He said two nurses in the maternity ward had been found responsible for the mix-up and had been dismissed.

A further five employees - including doctors and health managers - had been reprimanded and moved to other wards.

Secret DNA test

Nikola and Veronika were both born on 9 December 2006 in Trebic, 165km (100 miles) south of the Czech capital, Prague.

The mix-up only came to light when a dark-haired, dark-eyed father - suspicious at his baby daughter's blonde hair and blue eyes - underwent a secret DNA test.

The test proved he was not the girl's biological father, but a second test proved his partner was not the girl's biological mother either.

Angry and confused, they approached the hospital, which then discovered the terrible mistake.

The parents now face the agonising prospect of swapping their children.

One mother is said to be suffering extreme emotional trauma.

Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into whether the mix-up was accidental or deliberate, and the hospital has begun talks with the families on compensation.