JEDDAH: Yaqub, a six-year-old who was mixed up with a Turkish boy at a Najran hospital, has started his first day at elementary school in the city. The other boy, Ali, has already left the country to live with his family in Turkey.
The two boys were both born around the same time on Sept. 7, 2003. However Ali, who was born to Turkish parents, was accidentally given to Najran-based Saudi camel-breeder Muhammad Al-Minjem. Yaqub was handed to the Turkish couple who were also living in the city.
Both boys eventually became fluent in their adopted families’ first languages.
The investigating Directorate of Health Affairs in Najran received DNA test results confirming the boys had been mistakenly swapped at King Khaled Hospital.
In a phone interview Ali’s father Yusuf Joja said his son was having great difficulty mixing with other students at his school. He also added that his wife was constantly asking about Yaqub.
Director of boy’s education in Najran, Ali Al-Shamrani, said the department was treating Yaqub as a special case.
He added he had come to the school and had an entertainment day with the rest of the beginners before going home after two hours.
