Florida IVF Nightmare: Couple Seeks to Keep Child After Embryo Mix-Up
A Florida couple, Tiffany Score and Steven Mills, are embroiled in a profound legal and emotional struggle after discovering the baby girl they welcomed last December is not their biological child due to a catastrophic IVF mix-up at the Fertility Clinic of Orlando. Genetic testing has now conclusively identified another couple, known only as Patient 004, as the infant's natural parents, throwing the family's future into uncertainty.
A Heartbreaking Discovery and Legal Action
The couple's world was shattered when post-birth genetic testing confirmed that the child they named Shea was not genetically related to them. In response, they filed a negligence lawsuit in January against the clinic and their fertility doctor, Milton McNichol. The legal complaint demanded assistance in locating Shea's 'genetic parents' and a full accounting of their own missing embryos, which remain unaccounted for.
"This ends one chapter in our heartbreaking journey, but it raises new issues that will have to be resolved," the couple stated through their attorney after receiving the test results on Tuesday. "Only one thing is as absolutely certain today as it was on the day our daughter was born, we will love and will be this child's parents forever."
An Intense Bond and a Desire to Stay a Family
Despite initially expressing a 'moral obligation' to find Shea's biological parents, Score and Mills have now declared their fierce desire to continue raising her. Their lawsuit describes an 'intensely strong emotional bond' formed with the infant. "We love our little girl, and if possible, we would hope to be able to continue to raise her ourselves with confidence that she won't be taken away from us," they previously said.
Photos shared on social media depict a joyful family-of-three, with Score writing online about overwhelming gratitude for their "healthy, beautiful baby girl." She emphasized, "No matter how or why this happened, she is ours in every way that matters."
Complex Timeline and Clinic Failures
The procedural failures appear deeply rooted:
- Score's eggs were harvested and fertilized with Mills's sperm six years ago, with embryos subsequently frozen.
- An embryo transfer in February 2025 failed, followed by a second transfer on April 7, 2025, which resulted in Shea's birth.
- Embryos are stored in labelled straws; the lawsuit suggests the mix-up could have occurred during the initial fertilization six years ago or during the April 2025 transfer process.
Adding to the confusion, another patient with a similar surname contacted the couple after media reports, having also undergone IVF and given birth in December. While that baby is not genetically linked to Score and Mills, it underscores potential systemic issues at the clinic.
Legal Wrangling and Regulatory History
Attorney Jack Scarola confirmed that Patient 004 is not the individual who approached them. He stressed that "remaining questions about the fate of Tiffany and Steven's unaccounted for embryos" persist, alongside concerns for their one remaining embryo.
Doctor McNichol's legal team attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing it failed to state a valid cause of action and that contacting patients would violate privacy. This motion was unsuccessful. McNichol, who retains an active medical license set to expire in January 2028, was previously reprimanded by Florida's Board of Medicine in May 2024 following a 2023 clinic inspection that revealed:
- Equipment failing to meet performance standards.
- Non-compliance with risk-management protocols.
- Missing medication.
He was fined $5,000 for these violations. The Fertility Clinic of Orlando is scheduled to be sold to new owners as of May 1, according to court filings. The privacy of Patient 004 is being respected, and it remains unclear whether Score and Mills will ultimately retain custody of Shea, leaving a family's fate hanging in the balance amid profound medical and legal failures.
