History Main / BroughtHomeTheWrongKid

* An especially sad case was that of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Dunbar Bobby Dunbar]], who disappeared at age 4 in 1912. Eight months later, authorities found a boy resembling him in another state; he was traveling with handyman William Walters. Walters pointed out that this boy was actually a different boy named Bruce Anderson, a fact later correlated by his mother Julia Anderson, who had granted Walters temporary custody of the boy. But since [[SingleParentsAreUndesirable Anderson was unmarried]], their pleas were dismissed. Little Bruce went to be "reunited" with the Dunbars and died in 1966 under the name "Bobby Dunbar Sr.". Anderson's and Walters' claims were eventually proven true when Bruce's son, Bob Dunbar Jr., undertook DNA testing in 2004.

'''Carey:''' They were girls.

* In one episode of ''Series/{{Friends}}'', Joey and Chandler worry they've done this to Ben (they left him on the bus by accident as well) but it turns out to be the right kid in the end. It ends up being a DoubleSubversion. After Ross cradles the baby after the audience has been convinced the baby seemingly is Ben, the diaper the baby is wearing reveals a "Property of State Department" stamp on it.

* A legendary ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'' episode had Rob convinced that he and Laura had brought home the wrong baby based on the numerous in-hospital confusions of Laura with a Mrs. Peters. Rob goes so far as to ''call'' the Peters and ask them over to discuss the possibility. [[spoiler:The Peterses turn out to be black leading to one of the longest laughs in TV history.]]
-->'''Rob:''' ''[weakly]'' Why didn't you ''tell'' me?\\
'''Mr. Peters:''' And miss the look on your face?

[[folder:Film]]

** "Toys in the Attic" One episode where Tommy and Angelica are staying with Didi's parents has the babies up in the attic but Grandpa Boris rushes outside and brings back in two obviously different children (two boys and much older as well).
** "Toy Palace" has Tommy and Chuckie switch themselves with a baby doll and a monkey doll so they can stay in the Toy Palace overnight. Stu and Chaz don't even notice their kids are gone until after they arrive home.

* An especially sad case was that of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Dunbar Bobby Dunbar]], who disappeared at age 4 in 1912. Eight months later, authorities found a child resembling him in another state. He was actually a different child named Bruce Anderson, but since his mother was unmarried, her pleas were dismissed. Bruce went to be "reunited" with the Dunbars and died in 1966. His mother's claims were proven true when his son, Bob Dunbar Jr., undertook DNA testing in 2004.

** One episode where Tommy and Angelica are staying with Didi's parents has the babies up in the attic but Grandpa Boris rushes outside and brings back in two obviously different children (two boys and much older as well).
** The episode, "Toy Palace" has Tommy and Chuckie switch themselves with a baby doll and a monkey doll so they can stay in the Toy Palace overnight. Stu and Chaz don't even notice their kids are gone until after they arrive home.

* In ''Series/HopeAndFaith'' there's a variation where Faith starts using a baby doll to get an experience of what it feels like to be a mother. She takes the doll to the park and ends up coming home with a real baby. [[DumbBlonde Being Faith]] she initially thinks the doll came to life.

* In ''Film/AnotherThinMan'', some of Nick's hoodlum friends decide to throw Little Nicky a first birthday party, and bring all their own kids. One of them has to rent one to attend. The villain of the story, after being revealed, attempts to get away by claiming to have kidnapped Nicky. Nora goes to check and sure enough, there is another kid in his place. Turns out the villain was bluffing; Nick's friend had grabbed the wrong kid when he left, and the villain happened to notice before everyone else. The friend soon returns with Nicky, clearing it up.

** In ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'', an Ankh-Morpork fisherman and a Klatchian fisherman stumble on the newly-risen island of Leshp at the same time. When the two men realize that they can't lay claim to it for their respective nations unless they get home first, each grabs for his boy's arm and rushes back to his boat ... and then returns, lambasting the other man as a kidnapper, to swap for his own boy.

* A legendary ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'' episode had Rob convinced that he and Laura had brought home the wrong baby based on the numerous in hospital confusions of Laura with a Mrs. Peters. Rob goes so far as to ''call'' the Peters and ask them over to discuss the possibility. [[spoiler:The Peters turn out to be black leading to one of the longest laughs in TV history]].

* In an episode of ''Series/BabyDaddy'', Bonnie is on a date with another child's grandfather and brings the wrong stroller home after things don't go well (she's flustered and both strollers had blankets over them so the children could sleep).
* In a Halloween episode of ''Series/FamilyMatters'' Waldo takes Richie trick-or-treating and comes home with the wrong kid who was wearing the same Spider-Man costume as Richie.

* A ColdOpen for an episode of ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' has Hal bring home a muddy toddler from the park. When Lois begins speaking Hal goes on a spiel on how she shouldn't smother Jamie so much, saying Jamie needs to play in the dirt from time to time, only for Lois to bluntly respond "that's not Jamie!" Hal, takes a closer look, and reassures her that he knows exactly who he exchanged Jamie with.
* In an episode of ''Series/StepByStep'' shortly after Lily was born, J.T. gets the brilliant idea of auditioning her for a commercial, and drags Al into it. When they get back home, Al insist that the baby they brought back isn't Lily, but J.T. dismisses it until the go to change her diaper...

-->'''J.T.:''' Oh my God! She's a boy!