News | IVF Error Revealed: Child Genetically Unrelated to Parents
A Florida couple has sued a fertility center, alleging that the wrong embryo was transferred during IVF. They are also seeking help to find their daughter’s biological parents and determine what happened to their own embryos.
Tiffany Score and Steven Mills filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court against IVF Life Inc, doing business as Fertility Center of Orlando, and its lead physician, Dr Milton McNichol. They initially used pseudonyms for privacy. The complaint says the clinic created three viable embryos from Score’s eggs and Mills’s sperm and transferred one successfully in April 2025.
After Shea was born on December 11, 2025, the couple noticed that her appearance differed markedly from theirs. Both parents are white, while the baby appeared to have different racial characteristics. Genetic testing confirmed that she was “not genetically related to either plaintiff.” The couple seeks unspecified financial damages.
On January 29, Score posted on Facebook asking for help finding the biological parents. “We are incredibly grateful for Shea and love her deeply, but we also recognize our moral obligation to find her genetic parents.” She said another family may have received their embryo and described the family as heartbroken, shocked, and confused.
Score said the experience left them living “like prisoners in our own home,” and that speaking publicly would let them live freely again and celebrate “the only beautiful thing in this situation—our daughter.” She would not comment further during legal proceedings but asked anyone with information to come forward.
Score’s sister Alexa launched a fundraiser for earlier IVF costs, hospital bills, and mental-health care. It alleged that the clinic provided almost no information about locating the biological family or missing embryos. The couple believed they had an ethical duty to notify the genetic parents and would want the same if roles were reversed.
A legal-team spokesperson said their priority was identifying the genetic parents and locating the missing embryos, not compensation. “Despite the clinic’s past lack of cooperation, we hope it will provide the necessary answers. Our clients love this healthy daughter but must learn the truth.”
USA Today and the Orlando Sentinel reported that the center posted and later removed a statement acknowledging the incident. It said the clinic was cooperating with an investigation to identify the source of the error, that several organizations were involved, and that transparency and the welfare of mother and child remained priorities.
The case has renewed concern about oversight, specimen management, and ethical responsibility in fertility care.
News | IVF Error Revealed: Child Genetically Unrelated to Parents
News | IVF Error Revealed: Child Genetically Unrelated to Parents
A Florida couple has sued a fertility center, alleging that the wrong embryo was transferred during IVF. They are also seeking help to find their daughter’s biological parents and determine what happened to their own embryos.
Tiffany Score and Steven Mills filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court against IVF Life Inc, doing business as Fertility Center of Orlando, and its lead physician, Dr Milton McNichol. They initially used pseudonyms for privacy. The complaint says the clinic created three viable embryos from Score’s eggs and Mills’s sperm and transferred one successfully in April 2025.
After Shea was born on December 11, 2025, the couple noticed that her appearance differed markedly from theirs. Both parents are white, while the baby appeared to have different racial characteristics. Genetic testing confirmed that she was “not genetically related to either plaintiff.” The couple seeks unspecified financial damages.
On January 29, Score posted on Facebook asking for help finding the biological parents. “We are incredibly grateful for Shea and love her deeply, but we also recognize our moral obligation to find her genetic parents.” She said another family may have received their embryo and described the family as heartbroken, shocked, and confused.
Score said the experience left them living “like prisoners in our own home,” and that speaking publicly would let them live freely again and celebrate “the only beautiful thing in this situation—our daughter.” She would not comment further during legal proceedings but asked anyone with information to come forward.
Score’s sister Alexa launched a fundraiser for earlier IVF costs, hospital bills, and mental-health care. It alleged that the clinic provided almost no information about locating the biological family or missing embryos. The couple believed they had an ethical duty to notify the genetic parents and would want the same if roles were reversed.
A legal-team spokesperson said their priority was identifying the genetic parents and locating the missing embryos, not compensation. “Despite the clinic’s past lack of cooperation, we hope it will provide the necessary answers. Our clients love this healthy daughter but must learn the truth.”
USA Today and the Orlando Sentinel reported that the center posted and later removed a statement acknowledging the incident. It said the clinic was cooperating with an investigation to identify the source of the error, that several organizations were involved, and that transparency and the welfare of mother and child remained priorities.
The case has renewed concern about oversight, specimen management, and ethical responsibility in fertility care.
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Collected online