Mother in paternal suit sent friend’s baby for DNA tests

A mother was today charged with making a false declaration in connection with her child’s DNA test, after she sent her friend’s child to be tested instead of her own baby.

The woman’s former boyfriend had filed a suit claiming the child was his. When the court ordered a DNA comparison test, the mother sent her friend’s child to be tests.

However the father had argued that the child resembled him too much not to be his, and demanded a test to confirm that the tested baby belonged to his former girlfriend. The court upheld the request but this time the mother sent in her friend.

However DNA expert Marisa Cassar noted that the two women signed in a different way. She called the mother, who faced with the allegations, admitted that she had sent other persons in her place. The mother refused to reveal the identity of the people who went on her behalf.

Inspector Kylie Borg today arraigned the child’s mother over charges of making a false declaration. The prosecution told the court that further DNA tests had confirmed the man to be the child’s paternal father.

During the investigations, the woman admitted to her actions but claimed she had been subjected to sexual abuse by a relative of her former boyfriend. “I never filed a police report,” she said.

The father told investigators: “she wanted to keep me from my child, falsely claiming I was violent. When the baby was born, she registered my child as ‘unknown father’ but I filed to be recognised as the rightful father.”

Magistrate Doreen Clarke is presiding. Inspector Kylie Borg is prosecuting. Lawyers Michael and Rebekah Tanti Dougall are representing the accused while Dr Ludwig a Galea is representing the father.

The case continues.