five years ago, Steven Mills y Tiffany Scorea couple living in Florida, United States, began their search to start a family. For that purpose, they turned to a clinic called Orlando Fertility Center (Fertility Center of Orlando).
The specialists at the medical center performed a procedure of in vitro fertilization. In 2020, the laboratory generated embryos from the couple’s eggs and sperm, which remained under cryogenic protection from that moment on.
The gestation stage formally began on April 7, 2021. On that date, doctors implanted one of the couple’s three embryos into Tiffany’s uterus. After a pregnancy that came to term, the girl was born on December 11.
«The result is a beautiful and healthy girl who we love more than words can express,» Tiffany wrote in a Facebook post.
The suspicion about a possible error arose shortly after delivery. Even though Mills and Score are a Caucasian couple, they noticed that the newborn He did not have consistent physical features to his own ancestry.
When in doubt, the parents requested genetic testing on their own. These tests confirmed that the little girl has no biological relationship with them. «While we are deeply grateful to have Shea in our lives and love her infinitely, we also recognize that We have a moral obligation to find your genetic parents«Tiffany stated.
Mills and Score repeatedly attempted to contact the clinic to get an explanation for what happened. However, the medical center did not provide any response to their multiple calls.
The search for answers: a silence that led to justice
The silence of the institution motivated legal action. Jack Scarolawho is one of the couple’s lawyers, reported that the civil lawsuit was formally filed on January 22. Lawyer Scarola expressed that his clients face a difficult situation due to their emotional bond with the baby.
The couple also fears for the fate of their own genetic material. They suspect that one of their embryos ended up in the body of another woman, who may be raising their biological child today.
«Our joy at his birth is complicated by the devastating reality that his genetic parents, whom we have not yet met, or possibly another family entirely, may have received our genetic embryo. We are heartbroken, devastated and confused«Tiffany said.
Last Wednesday, the case came before the judge Margaret Schreiber at an emergency hearing. During the virtual session, the plaintiffs held the baby against their chests while their defense requested full transparency about other patients’ records.
The Orlando Fertility Center clinic published a statement on its website where it assured that it is actively cooperating with an investigation to determine the origin of the failure. The clinic lawyer, Francis Pierce IIIstated that they are working towards a quick agreement, although he warned that the new genetic tests require time.
The lawyer Mara Hatfield he theorized that the mistake occurred years ago. According to Hatfield, it is vital to investigate what happened in 2020, since «perhaps the exchange happened there,» when the eggs entered the freezing system.
Finally, Scarola described the event as something exceptional in reproductive medicine. The lawyer pointed out that, «fortunately, it is very rare for such a horrendous mistake to occur.»
