The Fertility Center of Orlando, a clinic based in Florida, has announced its impending closure following serious allegations from a couple who claim their baby is not genetically related to them. The announcement comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by Tiffany Score and Steven Mills, who experienced a distressing situation after their baby’s birth in December 2025.
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In their complaint, the couple asserts that they underwent in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at the clinic, where they successfully produced and stored three viable embryos. However, upon the birth of their daughter, Shea Score Mills, they were alarmed to notice that the infant bore no resemblance to either of them. Subsequent genetic testing confirmed the couple’s worst fears: Shea is not biologically theirs.
Their attorney, Jack Scarola, has expressed the couple’s emotional turmoil, stating, “It is obvious” that the baby does not share a genetic link with them. Acknowledging the joy of welcoming a healthy child, Score and Mills have articulated their profound concern over the implications of their situation. They feel a moral duty to identify Shea’s genetic parents, fearing the possibility that they might lose her to another family.
In a statement, the couple revealed: “Our joy over her birth is further complicated by the devastating reality that her genetic parents – whom we do not yet know – or possibly another family entirely, may have received the child we conceived.” They also expressed anxiety about the risk of losing custody of Shea, which they described as an “almost unbearable” worry. This distress has motivated them to pursue legal action, hoping it will allow them to move forward and cherish their relationship with Shea without ongoing fears.
The Fertility Center of Orlando has since responded to this lawsuit by announcing plans to cease operations. On their website, they indicated that the decision followed “thoughtful consideration” and encouraged patients to transition their care to a different clinic, CNY Fertility, which they assure will provide continuity in care.
As part of the closure announcement, the organisation stated: “You will continue to see many of the same trusted and familiar faces who have been part of your care team.” The announcement came shortly after the attorney for the clinic disclosed that it would be changing ownership effective May 1, although details about the new ownership remain undisclosed.
In a related matter, the clinic is also facing additional legal pressure from a surrogate who alleges she was not adequately informed about the risks associated with carrying a baby with a genetic disorder. According to her lawsuit, the surrogate claims that the Fertility Center should have foreseen the potential complications involved in her case, which ultimately resulted in the baby’s death shortly after birth. This duality of lawsuits has raised significant concerns regarding the clinic’s practices and handling of IVF procedures.
Legal representatives for the couple have reported receiving numerous inquiries from other families who fear they may be connected to the same genetic mix-up concerning their children. They are advising these families to consider genetic testing to clarify their situations.
In the meantime, the court has proposed that the clinic offer complimentary genetic testing to patients who underwent embryo implantation during the same period as Score and Mills, aiming to allay fears that other families might be affected.
As they navigate this challenging period, the couple has voiced a desire for resolution, stating: “Shea is completely innocent and so undeserving of any of this.” Meanwhile, the Fertility Center of Orlando’s abrupt closure and the lawsuits it faces have thrown a stark spotlight on the ethical and procedural oversight in IVF practices, leaving many current and former patients contemplating the implications for their own journeys to parenthood.
In their final message prior to closure, the clinic expressed gratitude for the trust placed in them by their patients and assured that arrangements for the transfer of any stored specimens would be made before mid-April. With the clinic’s closure, many questions remain unanswered regarding the operational integrity and future of IVF treatments in the region.