Florida IVF mix-up: Tiffany Score, Steven Mills identify biological parents as legal, embryo questions remain
A major breakthrough has identified a baby’s biological parents, four months after a woman gave birth to a little girl.
It has been revealed that the couple at the centre of a devastating IVF mix-up have identified the biological parents of the baby they have been raising.
This marks a major development in a case that is far from resolved for Tiffany Score and Steven Mills after they confirmed on Wednesday that genetic testing had established the identity of their daughter’s biological parents.
Months after launching legal action against their fertility clinic, Ms Score and Mr Mills said in a statement, “The results of testing delivered to us today confirm that our baby’s genetic parents have been identified”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The discovery brings clarity to one of the central questions in the case, but the couple made clear it also opens a new chapter filled with legal and emotional uncertainty.
“This ends one chapter in our heartbreaking journey, but it raises new issues that will have to be resolved,” said Ms Score and Mr Mills.
“In addition, questions about the disposition of our own embryos are still unanswered and are even more unlikely to ever be answered.”
They said they would not publicly identify the child’s biological parent and would respect their privacy as the situation unfolds.
At the centre of the case is baby Shea, now four months old, who the couple discovered was not genetically related to them after her birth, a revelation that prompted both shock and a legal battle over how the error occurred.
Despite the circumstances, the couple reaffirmed their role as her parents.
“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,” they added.
Their lawyer said the case is now expected to shift focus, with key questions still unresolved.
The couple’s attorney, Jack Scarola, told People that “remaining questions about the fate of Tiffany and Steven’s unaccounted for embryos...are still pending.”
“The current legal proceeding will remain open to address those matters,” Mr Scarola adds.
“However, we expect that we will now also begin to focus on the need for our clients to be compensated for the expenses they have incurred and the severe emotional trauma that they endured and will continue to experience.”
The couple had turned to a fertility clinic in Florida to help start their family, creating and storing multiple embryos before the mix-up allegedly occurred during implantation.
They say they had no reason to suspect an issue throughout the pregnancy, only realising something was wrong after their daughter was born.
While they have repeatedly described their love for Shea as unwavering, they have also said they felt a responsibility to uncover the truth about her biological origins.
The clinic at the centre of the case has not publicly responded to the latest developments.
