A Florida couple is suing a fertility clinic in the state after they say the clinic implanted the wrong embryo in the mother, who went on to give birth to a child that was not her own.
According to a lawsuit filed in the Palm Beach County Circuit Court and obtained by USA TODAY, the couple, identified under the pseudonyms Jane and John Doe, underwent in vitro fertilization treatment at the Fertility Center of Orlando, Florida.
In March 2025, the mother was implanted with an embryo, which resulted in the birth of a baby girl in December, the lawsuit says. Shortly after, questions began to arise after the document says the baby appeared to be a different race than the woman and her husband, who are both white.
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Further testing confirmed that the baby had “no genetic relationship to either of the Plaintiffs,” the lawsuit reads, adding that the couple developed a deep emotional bond with their baby.
According to the lawsuit, the couple believes the child should “legally and morally be united with her genetic parents,” and that another woman could be carrying their biological child.
In a statement to Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network, the Fertility Center of Orlando acknowledged the mistake and said it was cooperating with the investigation.
“Multiple entities are involved in this process, and all parties are working diligently to help identify when and where the error may have occurred,” the center said. “Our priority remains transparency and the well-being of the patient and child involved. We will continue to assist in any way that we can, regardless of the outcome of the investigation.”
In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, the couple’s attorney, Mara Hatfield, said her clients hope “to introduce their daughter, Baby Doe, to her genetic parents and to find their genetic child soon.”
“Our clients love this little girl but are every day aware that they have a moral obligation to find and notify her biological parents, as it is in the best interest of the child that her genetic parents are provided the option to raise her as their own,” Hartfield said.
Another embryo mix-up case in Georgia
The case in Florida is not the only recent case of an embryo mix-up.
Back in February 2025, a Georgia woman, who gave birth to and raised a baby boy for months, filed a lawsuit against a fertility clinic claiming it implanted the wrong embryo in her, resulting in her giving birth to another couple’s biological child.
Krystena Murray, 38, of Savannah, filed the civil suit against Coastal Fertility Specialists, saying the mistake left her “emotionally broken” from the experience.
“Despite the clinic’s misconduct, Krystena wanted to keep her baby, and she was heartbroken when she lost custody five months after giving birth,” her attorneys with Peiffer Wolf said in a statement at the time.
This story was updated to add new information.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida IVF clinic sued for implanting the wrong embryo
