Baby 81 incident
Encyclopedia
The Baby 81 incident was a widely-reported parental identity dispute about a baby, later identified as Abhilasha Jeyarajah, who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
and became an emblem of the effect of the disaster on the families involved. Many of the details in initial reports of the events were subsequently disputed.
The baby, around 2 months old, was reportedly found on the beach of the town of Kalmunai
on the day of the disaster, 26 December 2004, in the midst of debris caused by the tsunami
. Kalmunai is located in Ampara district
on the east coast of Sri Lanka
, approximately 180 miles east of Colombo
. No relatives were found in the vicinity, so he was taken to Kalmunai hospital. He was said to be the 81st victim taken to that hospital after the tsumani hit Sri Lanka, and so named Baby 81.
After remaining unclaimed for several days, nine couples were reported to have said that the child was theirs, although this was later disputed. After initial attempts to take custody of the baby were blocked by the hospital, the Jeyarajah family took legal action to prove the baby's identity, claiming that he was their four-month-old son, Abhilasha. They described how the boy had slipped from his mother's arms when the waves hit, and how the documents of his birth, along with all their other possessions, were washed away in the disaster.
On 2 February 2005, the courts ordered DNA
tests of both the baby and the couple in an attempt to resolve the case. Any cell that has a nucleus can be used for DNA Profiling. 'Gene Tech', the only available facility in Sri Lanka conducted the testing. The judge stated that the court would reconvene with the results on 20 April 2005, though hoped an earlier date may be set. Hearing this, the couple, along with over 70 supporters, attempted to take the child from the hospital – the pair were arrested for assault and criminal trespass. On 9 February 2005, escorted by nurses, police and a court official, the baby was taken to Colombo
to undergo the tests. On 14 February 2005, the results of the tests confirmed the couple's claim, and the family were permitted to take the child home on 16 February. It was later reported that only one couple had claimed the baby at the hospital, and that the press circus surrounding the baby was blamed for delaying his return to his family.
The family was flown to New York
to appear on American Broadcasting Company
's Good Morning America
show in March 2005. They returned to Sri Lanka, but found themselves denied local disaster relief, as many thought they had received assistance in the US. In fact, the family had not been paid for their American television appearance. They later moved to Batticaloa
, capital of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province
, to escape the label of being called the "tsunami family".
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
and became an emblem of the effect of the disaster on the families involved. Many of the details in initial reports of the events were subsequently disputed.
The baby, around 2 months old, was reportedly found on the beach of the town of Kalmunai
Kalmunai
Kalmunai is a municipality within the Ampara District of Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It had a total population of 91,457 as of 2001. And It is the one and only Muslim majority municipality in the country. There were Sri Lankan Muslims, Sri Lankan Tamils, Sinhalese, and Burghers with the Moors...
on the day of the disaster, 26 December 2004, in the midst of debris caused by the tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
. Kalmunai is located in Ampara district
Ampara
Ampara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. It belongs to the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara...
on the east coast of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, approximately 180 miles east of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. No relatives were found in the vicinity, so he was taken to Kalmunai hospital. He was said to be the 81st victim taken to that hospital after the tsumani hit Sri Lanka, and so named Baby 81.
After remaining unclaimed for several days, nine couples were reported to have said that the child was theirs, although this was later disputed. After initial attempts to take custody of the baby were blocked by the hospital, the Jeyarajah family took legal action to prove the baby's identity, claiming that he was their four-month-old son, Abhilasha. They described how the boy had slipped from his mother's arms when the waves hit, and how the documents of his birth, along with all their other possessions, were washed away in the disaster.
On 2 February 2005, the courts ordered DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
tests of both the baby and the couple in an attempt to resolve the case. Any cell that has a nucleus can be used for DNA Profiling. 'Gene Tech', the only available facility in Sri Lanka conducted the testing. The judge stated that the court would reconvene with the results on 20 April 2005, though hoped an earlier date may be set. Hearing this, the couple, along with over 70 supporters, attempted to take the child from the hospital – the pair were arrested for assault and criminal trespass. On 9 February 2005, escorted by nurses, police and a court official, the baby was taken to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
to undergo the tests. On 14 February 2005, the results of the tests confirmed the couple's claim, and the family were permitted to take the child home on 16 February. It was later reported that only one couple had claimed the baby at the hospital, and that the press circus surrounding the baby was blamed for delaying his return to his family.
The family was flown to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to appear on American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
show in March 2005. They returned to Sri Lanka, but found themselves denied local disaster relief, as many thought they had received assistance in the US. In fact, the family had not been paid for their American television appearance. They later moved to Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
, capital of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
, to escape the label of being called the "tsunami family".