Mother Is Denied Custody of Girl Switched at Birth
BUENA VISTA, Va. — A juvenile court judge Friday refused to award custody of a girl switched at birth four years ago to her biological mother, ending a custody battle over the swapped children.
The mother, Paula Johnson, was awarded visitation rights but lost her bid to gain custody of Rebecca Grace Chittum, who will remain with grandparents who have been raising her since the only parents she had ever known were killed in a car crash last year.
“This is all I’ve ever asked for, to be a part of this child’s life and know that she’s OK,†a sobbing Johnson said.
The switch was discovered last year through court-ordered blood tests as Johnson sought increased child support from her former boyfriend, Carlton Conley.
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