After genetic tests showed their newborn, Shea, was not biologically related to them, Tiffany Score and Steven Mills reached a private custody agreement with the child's biological parents. The agreement, filed June 12 in Orange County, leaves Score and Mills as Shea's custodial parents. The couple has sued IVF Life, Inc. and Dr. Milton McNichol and requested clinic-wide notification and genetic testing for patients whose embryos were stored in the past five years. The clinic says it is cooperating with an investigation.
Florida Couple Will Continue Raising Child After Alleged IVF Embryo Mix-Up; Private Custody Deal Reached
Tiffany Score & Steven Mills - PHOTO: Tiffany Score and Steven Mills welcomed a daughter named Shea, who is not genetically related to them, after an alleged fertility clinic mix-up.
A Florida couple who discovered their newborn was not genetically related to them after an alleged embryo mix-up at a fertility clinic say they will continue to raise the child as their own following a private agreement with the child's biological parents.
Custody Agreement
Tiffany Score and Steven Mills welcomed daughter Shea in December 2025. After genetic testing revealed Shea was biologically related to other parents, the couple — who filed a complaint in January — say they and the child's biological parents have reached a "mutually devised custody agreement." The agreement, filed in Orange County, Florida, on June 12, leaves Score and Mills as Shea's custodial parents while the families plan to "build and develop a relationship of friendship and trust."
Legal Action And Clinic Investigation
Score and Mills have sued IVF Life, Inc. and Dr. Milton McNichol, the clinic's former medical director. The complaint alleges the clinic implanted an embryo in March 2025 that "was not one of the embryos produced by [Score and Mills]," despite the couple having contracted for cryogenic storage of three viable embryos.
IVF Life, Inc., which had been operating as Fertility Center of Orlando before closing in May, said in January it was "actively cooperating with an investigation" to determine the source of the error. Multiple entities are reportedly involved in efforts to identify when and where the mistake occurred.
Demands From The Couple
In their lawsuit, Score and Mills asked the clinic to notify all patients who had embryos in storage and to fund genetic testing for patients and any children born after embryo implantation at the clinic during the past five years — the period they say the clinic had custody of their embryos. In a recent filing, the couple said they received information about embryo histories that revealed laboratory or clinic errors and have opted to move one of their remaining embryos to a different facility.
Attorney Statement: Jack Scarola, representing Score and Mills, said the couple "appreciate" that publicity helped connect them with Shea's biological parents and that they are committed to protecting Shea's privacy and fostering respectful relationships between the families.
The identity of Shea's biological parents will remain confidential, according to Scarola. An attorney for IVF Life, Inc. declined further comment after the custody agreement was reported, and ABC News has reached out to an attorney for Dr. McNichol.
What Comes Next
The ongoing investigation and the civil lawsuit could reveal additional details about lab procedures and patient records at the clinic. The custody agreement resolves immediate parental care and custody questions privately while legal and investigative processes continue.
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