List of ''Switched at Birth'' characters

Daphne Paloma Vasquez-Kennish

Played by Katie Leclerc, Daphne Paloma Vasquez-Kennish is the legal daughter of Regina Vasquez and Angelo Sorrento and biological daughter of John and Kathryn Kennish. Daphne lost her hearing at a young age due to a bad case of meningitis. It is mentioned in the episode "Portrait of My Father" that Daphne's father abandoned her and Regina when she was little. It is later revealed that Angelo left upon learning that Daphne was not his biological daughter. She was raised by Regina, a single mother, with help from Regina's mother Adriana. In the pilot episode, Daphne and her mother learn of the switch and move into the Kennishes' guest house after experiencing financial difficulty. Daphne, like her biological father, shows a strong interest in athletics and sports throughout the series. She is also shown to be a vegetarian. At age eight, Daphne became best friends with future classmate Emmett Bledsoe after he defended her from school yard bullies..

Daphne has many love interests throughout the series, including Bay's ex-boyfriend Liam Lupo (with whom she breaks up with on Bay's request), Toby's friend Wilke, former employer Jeff Reycraft, Travis, Jace, Jorge, Campbell and her current love interest, Mingo.

In the second season, after learning that her high school is being faced with closure, Daphne organizes a rally and succeeds in keeping Carlton's doors open. Later, Daphne's relationship with her mother struggles after Regina reveals her preference to live with Bay and Anna, over her. Frustrated at her mother's decision to live with Bay and Anna with their biological father Angelo, Daphne jumps into a relationship with Jace, a guy who works in John's office. Together, they get caught up in the blackmailing of a United States Senator, ending the Senator's career and marriage. After breaking up with Jace, Daphne finds herself charged with blackmail and facing potential jail time.

In the opening of the third season, it is shown that Daphne escaped prison, instead being ordered to serve out her time at a local free clinic. At the clinic, she befriends Campbell, a wheelchair-bound pre-med student paralyzed from a snowboarding accident. She also runs into trouble at school, facing conflict with a new-hearing girl named Sharee, who was taken on as part of Carlton's bid to stay open by opening its doors to hearing kids.

After taking up field hockey to impress John (with whom she feels she has grown apart since being charged with blackmail), Daphne befriends Sharee. There is tension between the two at first, but after bonding over field hockey the two become friends. After finding out that Sharee's mother is severely mentally ill, they conspire to bring her into the clinic to be diagnosed under the pretense of Sharee getting a flu shot. After the psychologist is late to arrive, Sharee's mother lashes out, stabbing Daphne's boss with a pair of scissors. Daphne successfully saves Doctor Jay, leading her to consider a career in medicine.

While working at the clinic, Daphne finds herself the focus of the attentions of Campbell and her supervisor Jorge. After talking to Bay, Daphne decides not to act on her feelings for Campbell as he already has a girlfriend. She instead, accepts a date with Jorge, which turns awry when she faces criticism from his sister over her blackmailing of Senator Coto. After walking out of her date, she meets Campbell to shoot hoops, where he confesses his feelings for her, in spite of him being involved with someone else. Daphne, although admitting that she likes him, rebuffs his advances. Later, Daphne is seen kissing Jorge by Campbell, who then informs her that he has broken up with his girlfriend for her, leaving Daphne conflicted. Daphne, upon learning it is Campbell's 21st birthday, decides to throw him a surprise party. Upon seeing how much attention Daphne pays Campbell, Jorge ends their relationship, causing tension in their working relationship.

After much deliberation, Daphne finally decides it is Campbell she wants to be with. Despite initial tension, the two finally get together. However, after Daphne is offered a paid position in the Clinic, her relationship with Campbell starts to deteriorate. He is jealous over the fact that he has been in the Clinic longer, but he was never offered a paid position. After following through with Daphne's suggestion to ask Dr. J for a paid position, Campbell obtains a paid position. However, this position is in another clinic on the other side of town, so Campbell tells Daphne that they might not be seeing each other often.

Throughout season 3, the relationship between Angelo and Daphne improved as father and daughter, significantly after Daphne asked him to learn sign language as to be able to communicate to each other more effectively. Due to Regina's project at East Riverside, Daphne and Angelo became increasingly worried for her safety. One night, after learning to shoot using a gun by Wes, Regina almost shot Daphne when she heard some noises at her store. That resulted in a heated argument between Angelo and Regina at the store. Angelo left the store full of anger and drove off. Then, Angelo swirled off the road, ending up in the hospital. The next day, Daphne was to retake her SAT examination to improve her score to get into a better medical school. She was unable to focus and left before she finished her exam as Angelo's condition was deteriorating. Unfortunately, Angelo was pronounced brain dead. The family decided to pull the plug on his life support after reading his will stating that if he were to be in a vegetative state, he wished to be let off life support. After learning that Angelo suffered a brain aneurysm while driving which may have occurred due to stress and anger, Daphne blamed Regina for his death.

Currently Daphne is studying to become a doctor at UMKC. In the episode "Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows" Daphne Introduces Mingo to John and Kathryn. His full name is Greg Shimingo, and John and Kathryn are in shock to find out that Greg's dad is Larry Shimingo.

Mingo starts learning ASL to communicate with Daphne better and it increases their close bond but after Daphne kisses another guy in Mexico things start to spiral downwards and they end up breaking up so Daphne can go to China.

After living in China for a year with Bay and Travis they come home. Once home Daphne returns to school to find out that Mingo is now in a relationship. Daphne struggles a bit in school and thinks about quitting trying to be a Doctor as she know that being deaf will make it extra hard but after talking with family and friends she decides that she will still try to be a Doctor. In the end Daphne and Mingo get back together.

Bay Madeline Kennish-Vasquez

Played by Vanessa Marano , Bay Madeline Kennish-Vasquez is the rebellious legal daughter of John and Kathryn Kennish; and biological daughter of Regina Vasquez and Angelo Sorrento. Bay is often bratty, which tends to lead to most of the conflicts within the series, especially with her boyfriends and Daphne. She is shown to be a talented graffiti artists. In the pilot episode, Bay, upon learning that she does share the same blood type as either of her parents, visits a geneticist with her parents. It is then that they are informed that there was a mix up with two babies at the hospital, and that John and Kathryn are not her biological parents. The discovery of the switch leads Bay to question her entire upbringing, resulting in her with her boyfriends, Liam and Ty and getting arrested for attempting to buy beer and getting our Nosie priced without tell Regina and Angelo with a fake ID's.

Bay becomes attracted to Ty, who is an old friend of Daphne, and briefly dates him in the first season before he leaves for the army. They continue their relationship in the second season when he returns. The relationship being again when Ty says I love you Bay. Then soon after Bay loses her virginity to Ty.

Curious about her biological father, Bay sets out to search for him with help from Emmett. They are eventually reunited. She grows closer with her biological mother and father, even moving in with the two of them at one point. Bay is the first to find out that Angelo got another woman pregnant and now has another daughters as a result of a one-night stand.

After Ty's departure, Bay begins a relationship with Daphne's deaf best friend, Emmett, after he assists her in her and Anna search for Angelo. The two have a turbulent relationship due to their differences, but remain together, even after experiencing a number of setbacks including Bay's past relationship with Ty, Emmett's disapproving mother and the language barrier between them. Toward the end of the first season, Bay breaks up with Emmett after she finds out at prom that he slept with Simone their old friend. Following her break up with Emmett, Bay comes home from her summer trip with a new boyfriend. However, things do not last long between them after it becomes clear that Bay is still not over Emmett. Her feelings become more complicated when she sees a mural Emmett painted depicting their relationship, leading to her breaking it off with Alex.

After her initial break up with Emmett, Bay and Anna finds that she is immersing her self's more and more in their street art, resulting in an unlikely friendship with a fellow artist by the name of Zarra. This friendship causes Bay and Anna to rebel against Angelo and Regina to the point of her and Anna almost running away with Zarra to Mexico. She and Anna is stopped before leaving and brought back to the guest house by Angelo and Regina and me and Bay found Alcohol in our parent's car and we being to drink with out telling Regina and Angelo about it behind our bio parents backs. In the second season, Bay meets Noah, a fellow hearing student at Carlton. A short romance ensues, but Bay breaks up with Noah when she realizes that he has feelings for Daphne.

Ty returns in the second half of season two, resulting in their resuming their relationship. Anna expresses concern for Ty's mental well being following his time serving in Afghanistan. The two eventually reconnect, sleeping together for the first time. Anna lose her virginity to Ty. However, in the season two finale, Ty and Anna were sleeping with together. In season three, Ty is shown to be responding to any of Anna's efforts to contact him. However, when he finally does message her, Anna, determined to move in , the message with responding. Anna's biological parents Regina and Angelo didn't know mine secret with Ty. discover Ty's and Anna's big news, but remains adamant to move on with her life with Ty.

In the second-season finale, upon learning that Ty had asked Anna to move in with him, Bay turns to Emmett for comfort and support. In the third season, Ty asks Anna's help , whom he met her. Despite responding to Anna's kiss, Ty soon pulls in. He confesses to Anna that the reason they be together is because me and Ty let go of the their future together, of their the future with Ty.

In the third-season premiere, Bay and Anna starts Their senior year and their first day at a new college art class. they makes a new friend named Tank. During a class assignment in which they have to draw a partner, Bay, and Anna in search of Tank, finds her self's going to a frat party. In an effort to bring Ty back , she winds up heavily intoxicated. In her drunk state, she and Anna have a heart to heart conversation her heart and about why Ty loves so much her. Later on, Toby and Daphne pick up Bay and Anna from the party. After noticing the Alcohol in the back seat in the car, Angelo and Regina informs that Bay and Anna were drinking in the car.

Bay begins dating frat boy and college football player, Tank, in the episode 'The Scream', despite having only having thought of him as a friend in the past. After Mary-Beth reveals to Anna that Ty loves her, begins her relationship with Ty. becomes even more irritated when he learns that Bay turned to Anna for advice before Anna was drinking very heavily . Things later take a turn for the worse when Bay accidentally reveals that Anna was drunk that night, leading her to be very drunk and Bay didn't tell Angelo and Regina about her sister being drunk and I didn't know anything I was blacked out and I was pass out on the couch and the next day I didn't explain to my sister Bay or Regina and Angelo about what happened and Regina with Angelo to check on me and I still pass out on the couch and I finally wake up to find Angelo and Regina on the couch telling me what is going on with you and please tell us about what happened what the heck where are you all this time said Regina and Angelo, I said to them saying please stop yelling at me, Mom Dad I was at a college party and seek out with Ty he was there with me and Ty were drinking, and I was beginning drinking heavy very hard, and after that me and Ty we are sleeping with each other at the party, and I was very drunk and then I came back home at the guest house to be with mine parents I meant you guys Bio mom Regina and Bio Dad Angelo.

Later in the season, Bay and Anna faces a number of challenges. She injures their hands at a party and is later revealed to have snapped a tendon in their hands. This leaves her unable to paint or sign during their months of recovery. As a result, she and Anna is moody and takes it out on her sister Bay, and Angelo with Regina .

In the spring finale, Bay researches online after having suspicions about Emmett's new girlfriend, Mandy. Despite her warnings, Emmett chooses to meet with her anyway. Mandy is shown to be nothing more than a fake profile designed to set up by Matthew, a classmate wanting to get back at Emmett. Emmett is subsequently beaten up. Realizing this, Bay rushes to find Emmett. After a heartfelt conversation, Bay and Emmett finally admit that they still love each other before sharing a kiss and proceeding to sleep together, resulting in Bay cheating on Tank, and later breaking up with him to return to Emmett.

Later, Bay and Anna, Their biological father and expresses regret that she and Anna did spend more time with him. lead to Angelo's and Regina's rules at the guest house.

Ending season 3, and starting season 4, Bay and Anna is on probation after taking the fall for Daphne when she vandalized Their mom's (Regina Vasquez) worksite out of anger. Due to this, Bay and Anna's plan to move to L.A. has been postponed. While Emmett leaves for L.A. Bay and Anna starts her community service. However, after giving a convicted criminal on probation a sandwich that had heroin in it, she is given another 100 days and house arrest. During season 4, Bay and Anna get drunk at a dorm party and me and Bay get arrested, with Bay and Anna unable to remember many events of the evening. This causes problems for her relationship with her sister . in the end, this causes them to make it a truce.

In the season 4 episode "Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows" Bay tries to get over Emmett by moving on. Bay sees a guy walking with Travis walk past her at work and finds him attractive. She keeps her eye on him so she goes to their table and takes their order and they introduce each other. Garrett asks Bay if she was deaf, and she responds no but that her sister Anna. Bay And Anna acknowledges that she knows how to sign really well. Bay asks Travis about Garret. Bay meets Anna after work to find a new outfit; Anna asks for what. Bay tells her she met a guy and her plan is to ask him out with that top that she is going to wear. Anna asks who he is because he is a few years older. When Anna learns it's Ty , he returns to be with her, and Bay said she can roll with that. Bay tells Anna its time for her to make a move. She asks him on a date.

Bay and Anna gets a call to have Their own gallery, only to find out that Travis paid for everything and asked the people who actually own the gallery to pretend for her and Anna the gallery. She and Anna ends up going to China with Daphne for the summer but months later she gets a call that brings her and Anna back home.

Travis later follows her and Anna to China where they start being friends. They live in China for a year before moving back home. When they get home, Bay and Anna move in together but Travis and Bay still date. Bay and Anna becomes a tattoo artists. In the finale, Bay and Emmett remain friends but nothing more. Travis asks Bay to move to Japan with him where he got a job as a professional baseball player but she and Anna decides to stay home because she is just starting their new careers but that she and Anna knows they will survive a long distance relationship.

Regina Lourdes Vasquez Sorrento

Played by Constance Marie, Regina Lourdes Vasquez is the biological mother of Bay Paloma Vasquez Sorrento and the biological mother of Bay Paloma Vazquez Sorrento and Anna Paloma Vasquez Sorrento . Before moving into the Kennishes' guest house, she, Bay, Anna and her mother Adriana lived in fictional working-class neighborhood East Riverside, Missouri, where she worked as a hair stylist. Prior to the beginning of the series, Regina had been raising Bay and Anna as their biological mother. Bay's and Anna 's biological father, Angelo, abandoned their family after finding out that Daphne was not his daughter. After Angelo's leaving, Regina had Daphne tested again, only for the tests to reveal that Daphne was not her biological daughter either. In spite of this revelation, Regina chooses to keep the information to herself for fear of Daphne being taken away from her. This fact comes to light when photos of Bay and Anna are discovered, Regina having had a Private Investigator keep tabs on her biological daughters throughout the years.

After running into financial troubles, Regina and her family move into the Kennish's guest house so that the two families might get to know each other better. She is also shown to be a talented artist, indicating that Bay and Anna inherited her skills as an artist from Their biological mother.

At first, there is tension between Regina and Angelo, with Kathryn and John, particularly regarding the way in which their daughters are raised. Despite these personality clashes, Regina and Kathryn become close friends. Regina later assists Kathryn in writing her book. John and Angelo are even seen to get along, despite John's longstanding resentment toward Regina over her keeping quiet about Daphne's true parentage. Regina's best friend is Melody Bledsoe, the mother of Daphne's best friend Emmett. Throughout the first season, Regina enters into a happy-life with her husband, Angelo,

Angelo, Bay's and Anna's father, reenters her life after reading an article about the switch, wanting to get to know Bay and Anna. He indicates to Regina that he wishes for them to get back together, but she happy. Later, Angelo flees the Kennish household and it is revealed that he is under threat of being deported for an outstanding warrant for arrest in Italy. When he first returns, Regina wants him with his daughters, but eventually she relents, even marrying him . effectively Counties by this marriage. She later gets half of Angelo's money as a result of the marriage.

In "The Awakening Conscience", Angelo tells Regina that he got a woman named Lana pregnant, and happy, Regina walks in. Even though it happened before they married, Regina goes to tell Bay and Anna and tries to figure out how to tell Bay and Anna. Later however, when she's having lunch with Bay and Anna, she finds out Bay and Anna already knows and that Bay and Anna had gotten into a quarrel with him about it. Regina then realizes that Angelo told her about the pregnancy simply because he was afraid Bay and Anna might tell her first. Later, however, Lana decides to give the child up for adoption.

In the second season, Regina finds out that she can no longer cut hair or sign anymore, due to a medical problem with her wrists. She gets a new job, but is fired after the first day, because she oversleeps due to being drunk from a celebratory glass of Champagne. After this, and through the influence of Zane, a friend from her past, she starts drinking again. Bay and Anna, after finding out about Regina's drinking, confronts her about it and the three get into fight. Regina realize what she said to Bay and Anna she later apologize and asks her to forgive her and keep it a secret with the promise of returning to AA. Bay and Anna later discovers her mother's alcohol problem when she finds her passed out on the sofa, smelling of alcohol. This further strains their relationship, which had already been suffering due to Regina's inability to sign. In "Introducing the Miracle", Regina's drinking is discovered on all sides and she's sent to rehab.

Regina returns early from rehab to find that Daphne has grown closer to the Kennish family. Feeling left out, she decides to move in with Angelo. Hours later, Bay and Anna also moves with Angelo, leading to her and Regina developing a stronger mother-daughter's bond and relationship. Angelo and Regina begin to live together. Regina tells Daphne that life is easier living with Bay and Anna. Their relationship improves and they will cohabitate. Regina later supports Daphne when she is charged with blackmail.

Angelo and Regina reconsider their Marriage, and decide to move in after Bay and Anna and leave for college.

Regina eventually gets a second chance at the job that she was fired from and begins to enjoy her work. However, in the third season premiere, her boss announces that she is selling the business and Regina will lose her job. After getting advice from Bay and Anna, Regina decides to open her own business as an interior decorator with her husband Angelo as chief investor. She is later Angelo and her business begins to expand, unfortunately she finds out that. As a result of this, the community retaliates and a brick is thrown through the window of Regina's store. After she begins carrying a gun in order to defend herself, Regina accidentally pulls the gun on Bay and Anna after she enters Regina's store unannounced. This causes Angelo and Regina to get into a passion kiss during which Angelo stays. He is later goes to his apartment and tells his girls, Bay and Anna blames her mother for Angelo's argument

John Kennish

Played by D. W. Moffett, John is the biological father of Toby Kennish and Daphne Kennish, and the adopted father of Bay Paloma Vasquez Sorrento . He used to play professional baseball, and he and Daphne share a love for athletics. John later becomes friends with Daphne's basketball coach, Melody Bledsoe. Toward the end of the first season, John announces his intention to run for office.

John's relationship with his children, although close, is often strained. He and Bay and Anna clash repeatedly over her choices regarding her street art, particularly after his car wash gets tagged by graffiti artists. John and Toby find themselves at odds when Toby reveals his decision to get married, despite only being nineteen. His relationship with Daphne comes under strain when he finds out that she was charged with blackmailing a United States Senator. Despite this, John remains a dedicated father to all three of his children and husband to Kathryn.

Throughout the first two seasons, John frequently finds himself at loggerheads with Regina. The two strong personalities often clash over how to raise their children. For example, they run into conflict when John attempts to buy Daphne a car for her sixteenth birthday, much to Regina's disapproval. Their biggest argument, however, comes after John revealing his longstanding resentment toward Regina from keeping Daphne from him for thirteen years. The strain of the fight causes John to have a heart attack, Regina in effect, saving his life. While in an altered state, John has a dream in which he sees how different and dark their lives would have been had Regina told the hospital of the switch after learning about it. In the dream, Regina has lost her life due to alcoholism and Bay and Anna did get along. He comes to appreciate Regina and her place in their lives.

The third season sees John and Kathryn run into marriage troubles. A confused John struggles to understand the plight of an unhappy Kathryn, who is beginning to feel a little lost. Eventually, the situation becomes so desperate that John, in a drunken haze, kisses Nikki's mother Jennyne, for which Kathryn kicks him out of the house. In turn, John finds out that Kathryn plans on writing an erotic novel based on the sex lives of their friend's from John's baseball days. She finally tells him how unhappy she is, stating that they have nothing in common anymore and that they have fallen into a repetitive rut.

John, determined to make things work with his wife, does not give up. An argument with Renzo leads him to the realization that their biggest blunder may be his inability to change. After a failed attempt at winning Kathryn back, he finally gives her the 'adventure' she so longs for, staging a full scale dance number involving the whole family.

After Angelo's death, John feels guilt over denying Angelo a loan. He feels that this may have contributed to the stress that caused Angelo's brain aneurysm and subsequent death.

Kathryn Kennish

Played by Lea Thompson, Kathryn is the mother of Bay and Toby Kennish and Anna and the biological mother of Daphne Vasquez. At first, she wasn't too excited about telling her friends that Bay and Daphne and Bay's biological sister Anna were switched at birth for the sake of maintaining her reputation, but after some pressing from Regina, she finally comes clean at a fundraiser.

Despite initial tension and disagreement, Kathryn forms a close relationship with Regina. Kathryn helps get Regina a job at a local salon and, in turn, Regina helps Kathryn write her book based around the switch. Kathryn is committed to caring and looking after her children. She finds a way to get a mopey Toby out of the house after his break-up with Simone and consults with Regina about how to tell Bay and Anna about Angelo's baby. Kathryn later finds out from Bay and Anna that Regina has begun drinking again and was sent to rehab.

In the third season, Kathryn going to therapy, stating that she has been feeling 'lost' since the switch. Her psychiatrist proves to be unhelpful, cutting her short to prescribe her drugs and send her on her way. While wandering the streets, Kathryn decides, on impulse, to attend a tap dancing class. Here, she befriends Renzo.

Kathryn also comes to realise that she is unhappy with herself and in her marriage. Even after confessing her unhappiness to John, he fails to understand her emotions and situation. Eventually, the situation becomes so desperate that John, in a drunken haze, kisses Nikki's mother Jennyne, for which Kathryn kicks him out of the house. In turn, John finds out that Kathryn plans on writing an erotic novel based on the sex lives of their friends from John's baseball days. She finally tells him how unhappy she is, stating that they have nothing in common anymore and that they have fallen into a repetitive rut. After John tried to win her back by unintentionally buying her a piece of jewelry identical to one he had given her years before, Kathryn tells him that she wants adventure in their lives and that they have just grown apart.

However, John, intent on winning his wife back, finally decides give her the 'adventure' she so longs for, staging a full scale dance number involving the whole family. After realising that John had gone to the effort to plan the entire event and was willing to do anything to make their marriage work, the two reconcile.

Toby Kennish

Played by Lucas Grabeel, Toby Christopher Kennish is the older brother of Bay and Anna the biological brother of Daphne. Toby plays guitar in a band called Guitar Face with his best friend Wilkie and Daphne's best friend, Emmett, who joins the band in "Dance Amongst Daggers."

Toby is an avid poker player, and it has gotten him into some trouble in the past. He tells his parents that he's playing miniature golf with his friends when, in reality, he is gambling. He has Daphne and Emmett help him win several poker games to help him get out of debt with Wilkie, but after Daphne misreads Wilkie's intentions, he loses a lot of money and is furious with Daphne. He subsequently sells his band equipment to help pay off the debt.

He begins dating Simone, an ex-friend of Bay's and Anna with a known reputation. She ultimately ends up cheating on him with Bay's boyfriend, Emmett. Toby breaks up with Simone upon learning about the affair.

Toby soon begins to consider starting a new band after another hanging out with Nikki, a girl he meets while performing gospel music, at his mother's request. As a result of his time with Nikki, he has a change of heart about Emmett and rekindles their friendship. Nikki eventually becomes his girlfriend. Their relationship is rocky as Nikki refuses to have sex with Toby because of a pledge she took. Emmett shows Toby a picture of Nikki at a party topless. Toby questions her about it and she explains that she is a changed person and owes him no explanation. Toby later realizes that he was wrong and surprises her at her youth group to apologize.

When Nikki then tells Toby that she is leaving for to work in Peru, Toby proposes, and she accepts. Later, when the man who killed Nikki's father is imprisoned, Toby decides to arrange a visit with him for Nikki in hopes that she will find closure over her father's death. After Nikki walks away from the man in the visiting center, Toby begins to chastise the killer. During the conversation, Toby is told that Nikki's father was a meth dealer and was killed as part of a deal gone bad. He eventually tells Nikki and the two then find that Nikki's mother had known all along.

Wedding plans for the two are made during the second half of Season two. Upon realizing the resistance to their nuptials by Toby's parents and Nikki's mother, the two call off the ceremony on the actual day, after sleeping together the night before, and they choose to elope instead. Nikki and Toby later separate as she is offered a permanent job in Peru. Determined to find himself, Toby subsequently packs up and leaves the country for his own adventure. He returns home in "In And We Bring the Light"

During season three Toby begins to date a Carlton teacher named Lily. The two date for the first half of season four, but break up after Lily develops a crush on a teacher at UMKC. It was revealed during the mid-season premiere of season four that Lily is expecting Toby's baby. After Lily finds out she is having a baby, she discovers the baby has Down Syndrome. After many bumps in the road they decide to keep the baby. Lily gives birth in the last episode and the child is named Carlton after the school at which Toby and Lily met.

Emmett Bledsoe

Played by Sean Berdy, Emmett is Bay's ex-boyfriend, and the longtime best friend of Daphne. He is deaf and rarely speaks verbally, preferring to communicate through American Sign Language. He rides a motorcycle and drives Daphne to their school, much to the dismay of the Kennishes. Despite their concerns and his being deaf, Emmett is proven to be a good driver. He is very protective of Daphne and has had a long-time crush on her, but doesn't make his feelings known to her. He is the only child in an all-deaf family, and for this reason has grown up having trouble relating to people who hear.

In the first season, despite of the language barrier, Bay, Anna and Emmett form a bond after he assists her in finding their father. The two eventually begin a relationship. When they first get together, Daphne realises her feelings for her long-time best friend, culminating in them kissing in a car wash. Emmett, however, reaffirm his loyalty to Bay. He reassures Bay of their relationship by communicating with her verbally for the first time. This relationship, however, runs into a multitude of troubles throughout its course, including Emmett's family troubles and the interference of third parties.

Throughout his relationship with Bay, Emmett faces difficulties at home. He learns that his parents are getting a divorce and that his father has moved in with another woman. Bay, concerned for Emmett's well-being, goes behind his back to confide in his mother about her fears regarding Emmett living with her father. Emmett learns about their discussion and a fight ensues, resulting in Emmett sleeping with Simone, Bay's and Anna's former friend and Toby's girlfriend. He does not reveal his actions to Bay and Anna until the night of prom, after which she promptly breaks up with him and leaves in tears. Emmett, however, is determined to win her back.

Months later, in an effort to win Bay back, Emmett paints their relationship in a timeline on a brick wall. Bay and Emmett meet and Emmett tells Bay that he is deeply sorry about what happened between him and Simone, and that it meant nothing to either him or Simone. However, Bay doesn't think they will ever be the same. Despite this, Emmett tells Bay he's going to keep trying to win her back no matter how long it takes, which is later confirmed by Daphne, who tells Bay that if Emmett has as so much as a sliver of hope, he'll wait forever. After Bay and Anna attempts to run away from home, it is Emmett who helps John find her. Bay and Emmett share a moment where he tells her that he will 'always come and find her'. They almost kiss but are interrupted by Bay's father.

At the beginning of the second season, a nervous Bay tells Emmett that she has begun a new relationship with Noah, in response, Emmett kisses her and asks her whether she has really moved on from him before he walks away. Later, Emmett tells Bay about the kiss between Noah and Daphne. He also meets a deaf girl (Ashley Fiolek) who is a fellow motorcycle enthusiast. Daphne, who is eager for Emmett to simply move on from Bay for the sake of his happiness, tells him that the new girl is perfect for him because she's deaf and into motorcycles, but Emmett tells her that he already has found his perfect girl in Bay.

Over the course of the second season, Emmett and Toby reconnect, with Toby even forgiving Emmett for sleeping with Simone. The two renew their friendship and form another band. Emmett even stands as best man at Toby's wedding. At which he makes a toast (appearing to subtly be directed at Bay) saying that He and Bay are meant to be together saying that she is the one he found. In the final episode of season 2, Emmett comforts a happy Anna after finding out about the future of her relationship with Ty.

The third season sees Emmett dealing with the integration of hearing kids into Carlton. He finds himself somewhat of an outcast among his peers after revealing the identity of a friend who had been slashing tires in order to make the new kids look bad.

Emmett asks Bay's help on an astronomy project, where it is revealed that he is dating a new girl, Mandy, whom he met online. Despite responding to Bay's kiss, Emmett soon pulls away. He confesses to Bay that the reason they cannot be together is because she cannot let go of the past and forgive him for sleeping with Simone. Bay, however, apologizes and promises not to bring it up again, leaving some hope for a future for the two of them. In a later episode, after seeing Bay struggle to paint with a hand injury, Emmett helps inspire her by taking her to a replica of 1950's Las Vegas built by a millionaire for his dying wife. He also helps her create the project and submit it to her class.

In the spring finale Emmett goes to meet Mandy for the first time. However, Mandy is revealed to be Matthew, a classmate wanting to get back at Emmett for having him suspended earlier in the season. Bay later finds him and after admitting their love for each other, the two sleep together After some initial apprehension due to the two of them having unprotected sex, Bay reaffirms her commitment to Emmett and promises to break things off with Tank. He also runs into some trouble with Matthew, who is now blackmailing him into staying quiet about the beating.

In 'Oh, Future' Emmett's father surprises his guests at a housewarming party with a wedding and the revelation that Emmett is to become a big brother. Emmett is initially angry with his father, but after some advice from Bay and his mother, he warms up to the idea of a new sibling.

In the beginning of season four Emmett decides to go to film school in LA after much persuasion by Bay which leads them to have a long distance relationship. He doesn't make friends at first but then meets Skye. Skye instantly become fast friends with Emmett and accidentally kisses Emmett on a movie set. Emmett discovers the hardships of the long distance with Bay and wants Bay to come to LA despite her on probation. Emmett finds out about Tank and disconnects with Bay in happy mode. She and Anna flies down to LA only to find out Emmett made a script about personal things in their relationship. Emmett admits he feels that they have changed too much and he wants to break up with Bay. She says it's forever if he does this now and they end up going separate ways.

After the breakup, Emmett decides to start dating Skye as they have common interests but when Travis comes to visit he thinks that she is only hurting him. Emmett also comes to visit on the Mexico trip to help deaf kids there which ultimately leads to Bay finding out about Skye. Bay tries to make Emmett jealous out of anger and in the end the two come to an understanding to not hurt each other anymore.

Later on, in season 5 "–The Call", he said to Bay that he never should let Bay go meaning that he still has feelings for Bay.

Angelo Sorrento

Played by Gilles Marini, Angelo Sorrento is Bay's and Anna's biological father, and Regina's husband. When Bay and Anna was three, he became happy that he find his biological daughters. to their fair skin, brown and black hair, and brown eyes. When he finds his daughters. he has a DNA test done and discovers that Bay and Anna is their biologically his. Believing that Regina had ask Angelo to marry her and wanting to raise Bay and Anna, he stays with Regina and Bay and Anna. After learning about the switch, Angelo returns looking for Bay and Anna in "The Homecoming", surprising her at their art show. Despite resistance from the rest of her family, Bay and Anna forms a relationship with him, while. Regina want to raising Bay and me with him. Angelo later implies to Regina that he would like to get back together with her and that had the girls had a special bond, they would still be together.

When it comes out that Regina knew about their biological daughters, Angelo is happy with her and felt that she was happy to find their daughters. They later reconcile and end up sleeping together, much to the dismay of Regina's mother. Angelo is arrested due to an outstanding warrant in Italy and faces deportation. When he was drunk, he beat a man for having an affair with his ex-fiancee. Regina's mother contacts the police so that Angelo would be arrested, and he is ordered back to Italy. In order to keep him in the country, Regina marries him so that he can gain US citizenship.

He sues the hospital for finding his biological daughters and is awarded $5 million. Right after that, it is revealed that he got a woman, Lana, pregnant in a one-night stand. Regina is furious with him at first but they later reconcile. Lana wants to give the baby up for adoption, but Angelo convinces her not to at first.

After Regina relapsed with her alcoholism, she shows up at Angelo's apartment drunk. Angelo contacts Bay and Anna , who then gets Daphne, and they go to retrieve Regina. Angelo instead promises he will take care of Regina and asks Bay and Anna to go to the hospital with Lana, who is in labor. Lana gives birth to Bay's and Anna's half sister.

In the third season, Angelo and Regina continue their marriage, having decided to wait until Bay and Anna go and move in with them before moving in together. Bay and Anna asks him. and to move in with them since Regina has been in danger due to her job.

Angelo is happy he found his daughters following his wife Regina a happy life. with the family. While searching his apartment for a way to contact Angelo. Bay and Anna calls Angelo's mother who also is Bay's and Anna's biological grandmother and speaks to her in French for the first time and gives his mother the opportunity to say live he's happy life The family decides to move in the guest house across from John and Kathryn.^[1]

Miles "Tank" Conroy

Played by Max Adler. He is a fraternity pledge and ex-boyfriend of Bay Kennish in season three. The two met in an art class and bonded after he gave Bay advice on handling her break up with Ty. After taking care of an injured Bay at a party, the two get together. Despite many tensions in their relationship, Tank de-pledges his fraternity for Bay. The two break up after Bay cheats on him with Emmett. Tank is next seen running into Travis, Toby, Mary Beth and Emmett at a club. Emmett initially conceals his identity from Tank, but after he is discovered an intoxicated Tank attempts to swing a punch at Emmett. He is shown to still have feelings for Bay. In season four, Bay and Tank get drunk at a dorm party and wake up in bed together. Bay doesn't remember parts of the evening, and during her attempt to figure out what exactly happened, the situation is reported to the college against her wishes. Despite Bay not remembering the night or coming to any conclusion as to what happened, the school ignores Bay's request not to punish anyone, and Tank is expelled. His fate after that is working at a restaurant revealed awkwardly on a date as he expresses that it is hard to get a job now that rape is on his record and Bay wants to fix it but comes to peace that she cannot.

Melody Bledsoe

Played by Marlee Matlin, Melody Bledsoe is the mother of Emmett Bledsoe and the best friend of Regina Vasquez. She is divorced from her ex-husband, Cameron, her polar opposite when it comes to parenting. Like her son, Melody is deaf although she can speak on some occasions due to being forced to attend speech therapy when she was young. She is overprotective and judgmental. Melody is upset when Emmett initially tells her that he wants to date Bay, believing that hearing and deaf relationships cannot succeed. This leads her to humiliate Bay at a dinner night with Emmett, Bay, and Regina. She gets into a dispute with Regina, but they reconcile and Melody eventually opens up to Bay when she realizes that Bay had good intentions. She also dates Daphne's boss Jeff but he breaks it off after realizing he loves Daphne.

In the second season, Melody and Emmett welcome Travis into their home after his father kicked him out. Melody now sees Travis as another son, even helping him with college applications and interviews. Later, in season 3 Melody endangers her job after getting rough with a student, Matthew, who had beaten up her son. She is dating Gabel and they soon get engaged. Gabe expresses wanting to adopt another deaf kid and after lots of thinking she finally agrees.

Travis Barnes

Played by Ryan Lane, Travis is a deaf student who attends Carlton with Daphne and Emmett. His hearing parents do not sign and are said to be uninterested in his progress at school.

After losing his job as a janitor at Carlton, Daphne helps him get a job at John Kennish's carwash. Feeling isolated and lonely due to his inability to communicate fluently with his family at home, and fearing that his parents will soon kick him out when he turns 18, Travis sometimes secretly sleeps in the offices of the Kennish Carwash before moving in with Melody and Emmett. He is shown to have romantic feelings for Daphne. The two date briefly before breaking up. Mary-Beth and Travis started dating in the second season finale. They broke up in season 4. In the Episodes "Instead of Damning the Darkness", and "It's Better to Light a little lantern" Travis and Bay hang out at a bar in Mexico both and after getting drinks, Bay insisted that they both do body shots which made Emmett mad. Both Travis and Emmett get into a fight but in the end they made up. Emmett asked Travis if he liked Bay, in which he just looked at Emmett, which proves that he likes Bay. He ends up paying for the gallery Bay believed was her big break and kisses her outside.

Bay latter decides to go to China with Daphne for the summer but after going to visit Bay in China Travis decides to stay there with her and they begin to date. After living there for a year they move back home. Travis go to college and joins the baseball team. Emmett and Travis have a falling out because Travis is with Bay.

Travis gets in a fight after a guy makes fun of people with disabilities and Travis hits him. This causes Travis to get kicked off the baseball team but he is offered to join a baseball team in Japan. Travis asks Bay to move with him but Bay decides to stay as she has just started a new career but that she knows they will survive a long distance relationship and that she loves him. In the end Emmett and Travis make up and Emmett is going to go with him to Japan.

Mary Beth Tucker

Played by B.K. Cannon, is a friend of Bay and Ty and ex-girlfriend of Travis. Mary Beth works a summer job alongside Bay and Ty. She lost her brother, a former soldier, by way of suicide. As a result, she and Ty, who was stationed with her brother overseas, have a close relationship. In season two she also grows close to Ty's then-girlfriend, Bay. In the second season finale, Ty makes her promise not to tell Bay that he did not really cheat on her. However, this information is revealed early in the following season. At the end of the second season she begins dating Travis. She then breaks up with him in season 4.

Adriana Vasquez

Played by Ivonne Coll, Adriana Vasquez is the mother of Regina Vasquez, the grandmother of Daphne Vasquez, and the biological grandmother of Bay Kennish. she had no idea that Regina knew about the switched but she was curious about why Daphne did not look like Regina. She had lived with Regina and Daphne for quite some time and is living with the two in the Kennishes' guest house. She had taken a huge disliking to Regina's ex-husband Angelo and ends up reporting him to the police. Regina told Adriana that she married Angelo and Adriana was not happy about it, and moved out of the guest house after she found out, but she later moved back into the guest house after she and Regina patched things up.

Simone Sinclair

Played by Maiara Walsh, Simone Sinclair is a classmate of Toby, Bay, and Wilkie at Buckner Hall. She used to be in a relationship with Wilkie Wilkerson and used to be best friends with Bay Kennish. They broke off their friendship when Bay figured out Simone's mean streak. She is described as the "school slut." She later starts a relationship with Toby, despite warnings given to him by Bay and Wilkie. During Daphne's time at Buckner, she becomes friends with Simone, but their friendship ends when Simone insults a Latina girl from Daphne's old neighborhood. At a basketball tournament, Simone had sex with Emmett. Despite constantly apologizing, Bay and Daphne have both refused to forgive her, thus dissolving both their friendships. When she is trying to have a conversation with Toby, he ignores her as well. She is last seen picking up an AA pamphlet, before bumping into Regina and quickly storming out of the room. Regina then finds Simone asking someone to buy her alcohol. Regina then goes up to Simone and talks to her in her car about why she was trying to buy alcohol. Simone told her that Bay and Daphne did not tell her what happened. Regina assures her that she knows what happened and Simone is frustrated that everyone hates her. Later on she lends Bay money to replace the money Bay got from her dad's safe to try to make amends.

Simone returns in the alternate reality episode, where she is shown to be Daphne's best friend.

Ty Mendoza

Played by Blair Redford, Tyler "Ty" Mendoza is the older ex-boyfriend of Bay Kennish. He is an old friend of Regina and Daphne. Daphne considers him her older brother. In the episode "Dogs Playing Poker," Ty admits he has enlisted in the army. He calls Bay later and she tells him she is dating Emmett. In "Mother and Daughter Divide" Ty returns home and hopes that he and Bay will start back up where they left off, but struggles to readjust to life after war. When he's scheduled to return to combat, Bay tries to get him to stay in Mission Hills. Later, at Toby and Nikki's wedding rehearsal dinner, Bay tells Ty about her plans to graduate early and go to art school in Berlin so they might still be together. Ty appears less than excited about Bay's plan and tells her no one knows what will happen.

Ty makes it appear that he is cheating on her in order for him to return to fighting in the war. Ty later explains to Mary Beth that he did it because the area he is being deployed to is even more dangerous than before and it would be easier to have Bay hate him now and move on with her life, rather than suffer his possible death overseas.

Liam Lupo

Played by Charles Michael Davis, he is Bay Kennish's ex-boyfriend and Daphne's ex-boyfriend. He goes to Buckner Hall with Bay and Toby. His family owns a restaurant called Fondo Di Lupo. In the episode "American Gothic," he takes Daphne to a music store, and all goes well until a couple of his friends show up and begin ridiculing Daphne. This leads Daphne to leave. Liam later brings fried zucchini to Daphne, knowing it's her favorite, but she takes the zucchini without any signs of forgiveness. However, she comes to Liam, and they get together. Daphne ends things with Liam a short time later as Bay is uncomfortable with the two of them dating.

James "Wilkie" Wilkerson

Played by Austin Butler, Wilkie is the best friend of Toby Kennish and the ex-boyfriend of Daphne Vasquez. He had scoliosis when he was 10 (as said in the episode 15) and had spinal fusion surgery, afterwards he wore a brace. He used to be in a relationship with Simone, but she was too controlling. Wilkie and Daphne begin their relationship after much pursuing on his part and were together until Wilkie was sent away to boarding school at the end of the first season.

Lana

Played by Annie Ilonzeh, Lana is the mother of Angelo's baby. She becomes friends with Toby when he gives her a ride home from the mechanic and she tells him that her family lives in Boston and they aren't aware that she's pregnant. After giving birth to her daughter, she puts the baby up for adoption and leaves for the airport.

Natalie Pierce

Played by Stephanie Nogueras, Natalie is a deaf student at Carlton who dislikes the idea of the pilot program due to the amount of funding having been cut from multiple programs at Carlton to fund the pilot program. As such, Natalie and some of her friends torment the hearing students, particularly Bay. When Bay and Natalie's rivalry appears to get out of hand, Melody hosts a mandatory retreat in the woods in order to bring the hearing and deaf students closer and dispel any animosity. At the end of the retreat, Bay and Natalie declare a truce. It is later revealed that Natalie is a lesbian.

Jace

Portrayed by Matthew Kane. Jace is from Britain and is a coffee shop barista as well as Daphne's ex-boyfriend. He grew up geocaching & he explains to Daphne that geocaching's like a treasure hunt. Jace decides he'd like to learn how to use sign language for a month & he learns quickly. Jace was a temporary love interest of Daphne. In the season 2 finale "The Departure Of Summer" He and Daphne expose Senator Chip Coto as corrupt and a remorseless philanderer, destroying his career and marriage. Jace was subsequently deported, but he left happy for getting the truth about the corrupt Senator out.

Nikki

Played by Cassi Thomson, Nikki was married to Toby Kennish. She is a Christian musician and begins a new band with Toby and Emmett, soon after which she and Toby begin dating, however she quickly realizes that she doesn't think it would work out to be dating someone who does not believe in God.

She later reconciles with Toby, and they then become engaged. On the night before the wedding, they have sex and the next day call off the ceremony and elope to the courthouse. At the start of the third season, Nikki and Toby are in a long distance relationship as Nikki is doing aid work overseas. Nikki and Toby later separate after Nikki is offered a permanent job in Peru.

Cameron Bledsoe

Played by Anthony Natale, Cameron Bledsoe is the father of Emmett Bledsoe. He is the ex-husband of Melody Bledsoe. Unlike Melody, he takes a carefree approach to parenting his son, while causes problems between him and his ex-wife, as she believes that he is not a good influence on Emmett. Emmett moves in with him in due to Melody's disapproval of Bay. After his divorce Cameron dated a younger woman named Olivia. Concern for Emmett's wellbeing is raised by Bay after the discovery of Olivia's bongs around the house and her use of marijuana. He subsequently breaks up with Olivia. Later on, he marries a woman named Debbie. They are expecting their first child.

Campbell Bingman

Played by RJ Mitte is a pre-med student and fellow volunteer at the free clinic where Daphne is ordered to serve out her hours at community service. Campbell is a former snowboarder and became a wheelchair user after an accident he suffered on the slopes. Despite having a girlfriend, he displays interest in Daphne, even ending his relationship for her. Despite initial tension, the two begin dating. However their romance comes to an end when Daphne is promoted over Campbell, simultaneously causing him to seek a position at another clinic across town and end their relationship.

Garrett

Played By Nyle DiMarco, Garrett is a deaf friend of Travis in season 4. He is a few years older than Travis and the other guys; in fact, he is in his early or mid twenties. It is said that he attended Carlton School. In 'Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows', he first meets Bay and instantly finds her attractive. They start dating, even though Travis does not like the idea.

Craig Tebbe

Played by Samuel Page, Craig Tebbe is the newly appointed lawyer for the Kennishes' case against the hospital for the switch of Bay and Daphne. He is shown to have an affinity for redheads and tries to kiss Kathryn before she pulls away.

Patrick

Played by Christopher Wiehl, Patrick is the ex-boyfriend of Regina Vasquez. He is an art gallery owner and first met Regina at the hair salon that she worked at. She later tells him to look at Bay's artwork, but he ends up commending her on her own art, eventually placing one of her pieces on exhibition, much to Bay's dismay. Patrick broke up with Regina after Regina told him she married Angelo in order for him to stay in the country.

Amanda Burke

Played by Meeghan Holaway, Amanda Burke is the former lawyer of John and Kathryn Kennish. She was the first lawyer that the Kennishes appointed to help them with their case against the hospital, but they later fire her when they find out that she was in a relationship with one of the hospital board members. While she denied that her relationship would have any effect on how she'd perform for them in the case but John and Kathryn did not want to take any chances.

Olivia

Played by TL Forsberg, Olivia is the ex-girlfriend of Cameron Bledsoe. She is a bad influence on Emmett, as she encouraged him to drink away his stress. And she is very sex-crazed, always sharing details about her sex life. She is revealed to be a drug dealer, working out of Cameron's home.

Noah

Played by Max Lloyd-Jones, Noah is a hearing student at Carlton as part of the pilot program. He becomes friends with Bay and reveals to her that he has lost 60 percent of the hearing in his right ear due to Meniere's disease, and that he will eventually go deaf. He has begins a relationship with Bay, but Bay soon ends their relationship after she finds out from Emmett that Noah and Daphne kissed. Theoretically, it was rehearsing for the school play of Romeo and Juliet, but Noah admitted to Bay that he felt a connection with Daphne.

Zarra

Played by Tania Raymonde, Zarra is a street artist who works under the pseudonym "Medusa." Bay initially gets angry at Zarra for finishing Bay's piece on a van without permission, but eventually Bay befriends Zarra, feeling that she gets Bay's artistic way of life that she feels no one else understands. John and Kathryn disapprove of this friendship.

Zarra encourages Bay to join her on her hunt for an artist named "Smak" who ruins other people's street art by marking his name on the pieces. Eventually this lands her in jail. Zarra asks Bay to post a $1,500 bail without telling her that her friend was also jailed for the same reason, driving Bay to steal it from John's safe at the carwash. Zarra and Bay and some friends of Zarra's were caught by the police while doing street art in an alleyway. They were let go due to Bay's Dad being John Kennish, the former baseball player.

After John yells at her, Bay temporarily moves in with Zarra in her trailer, where the two make plans to drive to Mexico with. when it becomes clear that Zarra has no idea where they are going, Bay begins to realize that Zarra isn't exactly the greatest friend. She later bails on Bay and runs away to Mexico.