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A deeply unsettling fertility clinic error has taken a major turn after attorneys confirmed the biological parents linked to an embryo IVF mix up parents case involving a newborn switched during in vitro fertilization procedures in Florida, exposing a chain of events that has left two families entangled in a medical mystery.

Baby’s Genetic Parents Confirmed After DNA Testing

The biological parents of the infant, identified as Shea, have now been confirmed, according to legal representatives for Florida couple Tiffany Score and Steven Mills.

The couple filed a lawsuit in January against the Fertility Center of Orlando and its lead reproductive endocrinologist after discovering their newborn was not genetically related to either parent.

Both Score and Mills, who are white, underwent in vitro fertilization at the Longwood-based clinic. Concerns arose after they noticed their child appeared to be of a different racial background, prompting them to request genetic testing.

DNA Results Reveal South Asian Heritage

According to attorney Mara Hatfield, DNA testing confirmed the baby is 100% South Asian, a result that intensified the case and shifted the investigation toward identifying the source of the embryo mix-up.

Hatfield said the clinic later reported identifying one South Asian couple among 16 potential matches whose egg retrieval and embryo transfer timelines closely aligned with Score’s treatment cycle.

The finding marked a pivotal breakthrough in what has been described as a highly unusual reproductive error—one that, like crossed electrical wires in a carefully controlled system, led to life-altering consequences for multiple families.

Legal Claims and Clinic Response

Court filings do not dispute that the child born to Score and Mills “should be, but is not, the genetic child” of the couple. The clinic has stated it is cooperating with efforts to determine how the error occurred and to locate the intended genetic parents.

This week, attorneys confirmed that a match has now been identified, though the biological parents’ identities remain confidential.

“This ends one chapter in our heartbreaking journey, but it raises new issues that will have to be resolved,” the family’s legal statement said. “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.”

Unanswered Questions About Embryos

Despite the breakthrough, attorneys say major questions remain about what happened to embryos believed to belong to Score and Mills. There is currently no indication that those embryos resulted in a birth to another couple.

Neither the clinic nor its attorneys have commented on the latest developments regarding the identification of the biological parents.

Clinic Closure Adds Another Layer of Uncertainty

The case comes amid turmoil for the Fertility Center of Orlando, which recently announced it would shut down operations. The clinic said another IVF network will take over the same location, describing the decision as made after “thoughtful consideration.”

As investigations continue, the case stands as a rare and deeply complex example of how precision-driven reproductive technology can unravel, leaving families navigating questions that science alone cannot easily resolve.