Embryo Mix-Up: Baby Born Is Unrelated to Either Parent

The unfortunate mistake might not have been caught if a baby born to a Florida couple had been of the same race. Both parents are Caucasians, while their baby is non-Caucasian and not related to either parent.

The Good and Bad News

The good news is that a Florida fertility clinic has confirmed the error, and the couple at the center of an alleged embryo mix-up say they have now located the biological parents of the “non-Caucasian” baby they gave birth to.

The bad news is that they do not know who was given their embryos, and they might never know. The child's or children's physical appearances might not be as obvious if their Caucasian embryos had been given to Caucasian couples.

The Florida Couple's Journey

Tiffany Score and Steven Mills previously stored three viable embryos at the Longwood-based clinic in 2020 as part of their in vitro fertilization process.

Five years later, they welcomed a beautiful, healthy female baby on December 11, 2025. Genetic testing was done because the baby displayed the physical appearance of a non-Caucasian child. The testing confirmed that the child had no biological connection to either parent. That prompted concerns about the whereabouts of the couple's own embryos and whether other women may have carried their biological children.

The couple filed a lawsuit in January 2026 against the Fertility Center of Orlando and its lead reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Milton McNichol, claiming that another patient’s embryo was mistakenly implanted in Tiffany Score’s uterus in April 2025.

The error resulted in the birth of their now 4-month-old daughter, Shea, who is not biologically related to them.

Tiffany Score and Steven said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE on Wednesday, April 22, 2026:

“The results of testing delivered to us today confirm that our baby’s genetic parents have been identified.”

The couple said:

“This ends one chapter in our heartbreaking journey, but it raises new issues that will have to be resolved. In addition, questions about the disposition of our own embryos are still unanswered and are even more unlikely to ever be answered.”

The couple shared:

“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.”

The Florida couple said they intend to respect the privacy of the child’s biological parents and will keep their identities “confidential.”

What the Couple Wants

The lawsuit described that the couple had an “intensely strong emotional bond” during the pregnancy. However, they acknowledged that the child “should legally and morally be united with her genetic parents so long as they are fit, able, and willing to take her.”

Attorney Jack Scarola told PEOPLE that, as of now, the baby’s biological parents have not sought custody.

Scarola shared:

“Remaining questions about the fate of Tiffany and Steven’s unaccounted embryos are still pending. There is the obvious possibility that someone else was implanted with one or more of their embryos and is pregnant with or has been pregnant with and is presently parenting one or more of their children.”

The attorney for the Florida couple said he expects that they will now be compensated for the expenses they have incurred and the severe emotional trauma that they endured and will continue to experience.

Earlier this month, the Fertility Center of Orlando announced it plans to shut down operations by May 20, 2026, saying the decision came after “thoughtful consideration.” However, another fertility clinic will open in its place.