NY fertility clinic used wrong sperm, suit claims

Raerae

Well-known member
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17735987...15773?GT1=9145

Baby darker than either parent; judge allows malpractice case to proceed


Updated: 6:31 a.m. PT March 22, 2007

NEW YORK - A couple can proceed with a lawsuit against a fertility clinic they filed after the wife gave birth to a daughter whose skin they thought was too dark to be their child, a judge has ruled.

Thomas and Nancy Andrews, of Commack, N.Y., sued New York Medical Services for Reproductive Medicine, accusing the Manhattan clinic of medical malpractice and other offenses. They claim the Park Avenue clinic used another man’s sperm to inseminate Nancy Andrews’ eggs.

Three DNA tests — a home kit and two professional laboratory tests — confirmed that Thomas Andrews was not the baby’s biological father, state Supreme Court Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam quoted the couple as saying.

The couple says that they have been forced to raise a child who is “not even the same race, nationality, color ... as they are,” the judge said in the ruling.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, came to light Wednesday after the judge issued a decision that allows them to proceed with parts of the lawsuit while dismissing other parts.

The judge quoted the couple as saying that after their daughter, Jessica, was born Oct. 19, 2004, they knew something was wrong because of her physical appearance.

They say that “while we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her; it is simply impossible to ignore,” the judge’s decision said.

The judge, in her ruling made public Wednesday, dismissed the claims against Dr. Martin Keltz, who had advised the procedure and had performed the embryo implantation.

She allowed the case to proceed against Dr. Reginald Puckett as owner of the clinic but threw out the case against him as an individual.

In trying to have the lawsuit against Puckett dismissed, his lawyer, Martin B. Adams, told the court that Puckett “did not examine, communicate with, care for or treat plaintiffs.”

The judge found Carlo Acosta, the non-physician embryologist who processed the egg and sperm for creation of an embryo, also could be held liable.

The couple’s lawyer, Howard J. Stern, did not immediately return a telephone call for comment.

------------------------------------

Thoughts...

I feel so bad for kids who get wrapped up in this.

Quotes like, "while we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her; it is simply impossible to ignore,”

Really make me wonder where people's hearts are at times.
 

MxAxC-_ATTACK

Well-known member
When I started reading this article.. The first thing I thought was "that poor kid" because.. Exactly as you said Quote:
"while we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her; it is simply impossible to ignore,”

Way to make a kid feel wanted.. thanks mom!
 

*Stargazer*

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raerae
Thoughts...

I feel so bad for kids who get wrapped up in this.

Quotes like, "while we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her; it is simply impossible to ignore,”

Really make me wonder where people's hearts are at times.


She is your "own", you stupid wastes of space. That poor little girl is always going to know that her parents consider her to be less. Shame on them.
 

Raerae

Well-known member
The part the sickens me the most, is that they were at a fertility clinic because of having problems concieving. And instead of being thankful that they have a daughter at all they are finding reasons to complain.

A dear friend of my Mom, her and her husband spend over 100k on fertility treatments, and were never able to successfully concieve. They eventually had to adopt and the girl they adopted ended up being a nightmare adoption (very ungrateful child, hates them with all her heart etc, very sad story).

I'm sure they would have done anything to have a baby of their own, even if it wasn't perfect.
 

Beauty Mark

Well-known member
It's especially bad, since we live in the days of the internet. I bet it'll be so easy for that child to find this some day.

I don't know about the legal merits of it or what it must be like to have that happen. I'm obviously a fan of adoption for people. I grew up in a family where I was completely different looking. It isn't a big deal to me. A friend of mine (white) adopted two black kids in their teens, and they are just as much her kids if she had given birth to them.

I just wish the quote would've been worded differently, because I think it speaks volumes about these people. I could understand suing (if there's no legal clause built in that doesn't allow it) if you see it as part of a greater problem; mixing up people's physical stuff is a big deal.

But calling it a "terrible mistake"? I don't get it. Considering that they were more than likely having issues getting pregnant, I would think having given a birth a child that's 50% yours would feel like a miracle.

And as cold as it sounds, they aren't "forced" to raise that child. They can put it up for adoption if they don't think they can handle it.
 

little teaser

Well-known member
really.. they were force to raise a child that dont look like them but isnt she the biological mother.. cant they just be happy to have a healthy baby..
 

giz2000

Well-known member
Some people are just beyond.....ugh.....I can't even think of the perfect word to call these heathens....like it's that poor baby's fault.
 

xmrsvindieselx

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by giz2000
Some people are just beyond.....ugh.....I can't even think of the perfect word to call these heathens....like it's that poor baby's fault.

i agreee. and I'm surprised I havent heard about this earlier.. I live about 20 mins from commack..but this is just so upsetting
 

Shimmer

Well-known member
Too bad no one can file a mental abuse claim on these people for how fucked up thekid is going to be later. :/
 

macslut

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beauty Mark
And as cold as it sounds, they aren't "forced" to raise that child. They can put it up for adoption if they don't think they can handle it.

Beauty Mark, I was thinking the same thing. They were not forced to raise this child. And quite honestly, I think the child would be better off in the hands of other more capable parents.

I don't understand this. This is their child. I don't understand how they can see this baby as a "terrible mistake". There are many many childless couples out there who would be very willing to take that "problem" off their hands, I am sure.

I think the parents are seeing dollar signs and it is ubstructing their vision.
 

macslut

Well-known member
Here is the portion of what fox is reporting...it may shed just a little bit of light...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,260361,00.html


NEW YORK — A Park Avenue fertility clinic caused a family devastation when a sperm snafu caused a black baby to be born to a Hispanic woman and her white husband, the couple charges in a lawsuit....

and

When Thomas and Nancy Andrews asked their doctor, Manhattan obstetrician Martin Keltz, what was going on, he allegedly told them that Jessica's condition was an "abnormality," and assured them she would "get lighter over time," according to the couple's suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.

So two comments from me:

1) What nationality did they expect the baby to be?

2) Now I think that the comment from the obstetrician is a tab inappropriate. So please excuse my childfree thing, but is it possible for a baby to get lighter over time. That even coming up in conversation sets off a sceevy factor in me.

This unfortunately reminds me of people who want to adopt but only adopt a pretty baby.
 

Shimmer

Well-known member
It's not uncommon for african american babies to be born "white looking".
It's also not uncommon for caucasian babies to be born "asian looking".

Either way, these people are seriously fucked up and should be beaten sadistically with a golf club. Wouldn't want to shoot them, that'd be inhumane.
 

Beauty Mark

Well-known member
Quote:
I don't understand this. This is their child.

I don't exactly understand it, but some people get really hellbent on having a child that is their blood relation, which is why so many couples spent a lot of money on fertility drugs and treatments. Even though adoption is a difficult process, there are instances where a couple would've saved themselves a lot of money and heartache if they would have decided to adopt instead. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it isn't money that's motivating them. It doesn't make them really better in my eyes, though.

Some family members (distant ones in mine, who I don't see ever) see an adopted child, even if it's just an infant, as a stranger and don't want that within their family.

I think people take the idea of blood being such a thick bond to be too literal.
 

..kels*

Well-known member
oh my god. this is disgusting. i can understand being disappointed that the child is not blood-related to the husband when that is what they were expecting, & i can see why they would sue. but to come out & say that it basically sickens them to look at her & that they feel "forced" to raise her?!?! that is way too fucked up!!!
angry.gif
be thankful that you were able to have a child at all!! it's sad that they're overlooking that she is, in fact, the biological mother.
nonono.gif
i feel so terrible for that baby.
ohboy.gif
 

*Stargazer*

Well-known member
I think what is interesting about this is that if the child hadn't been half black (if the sample had still been mixed up but with a white guy's), they might never have known she wasn't biologically his. And they'd have loved her as "their own."

I feel so sorry for this little girl. I saw pics of the family today and they have another daughter as well, so this kid is going to grow up knowing her parents love her sister more than they do her. And that is disgraceful.
 

Beauty Mark

Well-known member
By any chance, if they can trace who the biological father is, have they opened themselves up to a custody battle at all?

It's being too optimistic, but wouldn't it be nice if the biological father and his wife were willing to be the parents of this little girl?
 

Dark_Phoenix

Well-known member
I'm wondering why their names are out in the public.
If it was in the best interest of the child (and the parents) they'd keep this thing a little more low profile (like using codenames or something).
 

Raerae

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beauty Mark
By any chance, if they can trace who the biological father is, have they opened themselves up to a custody battle at all?

It's being too optimistic, but wouldn't it be nice if the biological father and his wife were willing to be the parents of this little girl?


Yeh serious... As long as she's willing to give up all custody rights. She doesn't deserve a child.
 

YvetteJeannine

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raerae
The part the sickens me the most, is that they were at a fertility clinic because of having problems concieving. And instead of being thankful that they have a daughter at all they are finding reasons to complain.

A dear friend of my Mom, her and her husband spend over 100k on fertility treatments, and were never able to successfully concieve. They eventually had to adopt and the girl they adopted ended up being a nightmare adoption (very ungrateful child, hates them with all her heart etc, very sad story).

I'm sure they would have done anything to have a baby of their own, even if it wasn't perfect.



That's the FIRST thing I thought, Raerae. They are SO lucky they were able to concieve at all and deliver a healthy child. People like this should NOT be allowed to have kids. How many people in the world would give their limbs to be able to concieve and deliver a HEALTHY baby...black, brown, white, or purple.

Yes...the fertility clinic DID make a mistake..I won't argue that...but what are ya gonna *do*...send the kid BACK? These cretins need to understand that this is a living being...not the wrong product they bought at SEARS! Sometimes we just have to accept what was given to us...and feel lucky we got anything at all.....
 

GreekChick

Well-known member
It's funny because this child lived inside this woman's body for 9 months, this child is HERS,it's HER blood (even if it's not the father's), the child still has HER genes, etc...You would think a mother/child bond is special, that she'd love it completely, unconditionnally BECAUSE of that.
But no, we always need more....
 
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