A white couple is suing a fertility clinic in Orlando, Florida, after an IVF mix-up allegedly led to them giving birth to a baby who is not genetically theirs.
According to a lawsuit filed Jan. 22 in Orange County Circuit Court, Tiffany Score and Steven Mills claim Score was a patient at IVF Life, Inc. (widely known as the Fertility Center of Orlando) when she was allegedly implanted with the wrong embryo, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Court documents describe both parents as “Caucasian.”
“We are heartbroken, devastated, and confused,” the couple said in a statement to WESH 2. “This situation has completely dictated and complicated our lives since the moment of her birth.”
After receiving an embryo transfer in 2025, Score gave birth to a healthy baby girl via C-section in December. However, the couple quickly sensed something was wrong, noting the child did not appear racially related to them. She appears to be Black or brown. Genetic testing later confirmed the baby is not a biological match to either parent.
They are now seeking answers as fears grow that another family, or potentially multiple families, could be pregnant with or raising their biological child.
The couple said they formed a strong bond with the baby during pregnancy that has only deepened since her birth. They also fear the situation could ultimately lead to losing her, even as they say they want the chance to reunite the child with her biological family.
“While we are beyond grateful to have her in our lives and love her immeasurably, we also recognize that we have a moral obligation to find her genetic parents,” they said. “Our joy over her birth is further complicated by the devastating reality that her genetic parents — whom we do not yet know — or possibly another family entirely, may have received our genetic embryo.”
The parents initially filed suit Jan. 9 in Palm Beach County before the case was moved to Orange County. They are demanding the clinic quickly identify and notify all potentially impacted parties, including through widespread genetic testing. At this stage, it is unclear whether they are the only family affected or if the error may be more widespread.
During an emergency hearing on Wednesday before Judge Margaret Schreiber, the family’s attorney, John Scarola, argued the embryo mix-up could have occurred as early as 2020 or during the 2025 implantation. He is seeking five years of clinic-funded genetic testing, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Scarola described the incident as a “horrendous error” and noted that while such cases are rare, the legal path forward is complex due to limited precedent. This hasn’t quite happened before.
A statement from the clinic to WESH2 said it is “actively cooperating” with an investigation into one of its patients, in determining “the source of an error” that resulted in the birth of a child who is not genetically theirs.
In the meantime, the parents say they are sharing their story to get ahead of misinformation and raise awareness in hopes of preventing similar situations.
“There are so many details and potential outcomes to this story, but for now, we will leave it here until further progress has been made by our legal counsel,” the couple said. “Until then, please keep our family in your hearts and prayers, and if you have any information on the family who might be on the other side of this, please contact us.”
