A Florida couple, Tiffany Score and Steven Mills, will retain permanent custody of a baby girl born from an IVF mix-up at the Fertility Center of Orlando. The biological parents, who remain anonymous, decided not to challenge the custody agreement despite their heartbreak. According to Daily Mail, the biological parents' attorney Rob Marcereau stated that his clients were left in an 'absolutely impossible situation' and had to make the heartbreaking decision not to fight for custody due to legal hurdles.
Key Takeaways
A Florida couple who received the wrong embryo through IVF will retain permanent custody of the child they raised as their own. The biological parents, identified only as Patient 004, agreed not to fight for custody due to complex legal hurdles.
- Florida couple retains custody of baby born from IVF mix-up
- Biological parents agree not to challenge custody despite heartbreak
- Fertility clinic admits error and faces lawsuit for negligence
- Custody agreement reached to protect child's privacy and well-being
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological Parents' Decision | 1 Difference | Daily Mail and Fox News report biological parents agreed not to challenge custody due to legal hurdles; The Guardian reports they wanted to keep the baby but agreed due to complexity | ▼ |
| Custody Agreement | Broad Agreement | Florida couple retains custody of baby born from IVF mix-up | |
| Fertility Clinic's Admission | Broad Agreement | Fertility Center of Orlando admits error and faces lawsuit for negligence |
Biological Parents' Decision
▼Daily Mail and Fox News report biological parents agreed not to challenge custody due to legal hurdles; The Guardian reports they wanted to keep the baby but agreed due to complexity
Custody Agreement
Broad AgreementFlorida couple retains custody of baby born from IVF mix-up
Fertility Clinic's Admission
Broad AgreementFertility Center of Orlando admits error and faces lawsuit for negligence
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The mix-up occurred when the couple used the Fertility Center of Orlando simultaneously with another Florida couple. Doctors accidentally implanted the wrong embryo, leading to the birth of a baby girl named Shea in December 2025. Genetic testing confirmed that Shea was not biologically related to Score and Mills, who are both Caucasian, while Shea appeared to be non-Caucasian.
The couple reached a mutually devised custody agreement with Shea's biological parents, which was approved by a judge in Seminole County, Florida. According to Fox News, the couple plans to develop 'a relationship of friendship and trust' with the biological parents while raising Shea as their own. The details of the custody agreement remain private.
The Fertility Center of Orlando has admitted to implanting the wrong embryo and faces a lawsuit from Score and Mills for negligence. According to The Guardian, the clinic shuttered its operations on May 20, following unrelated legal woes related to medical malpractice and negligence in a surrogate pregnancy case. The couple's attorney Jack Scarola stated that questions about the disposition of their own embryos remain unanswered.
Score and Mills expressed gratitude for the support they have received and their commitment to protecting Shea from harmful intrusion on her privacy. In an April statement obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the couple said, 'Only one thing is as absolutely certain as it was on the day our daughter was born – we will love and be this child’s parents forever.' The fertility clinic has been cooperating with investigations to determine the source of the error.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.