The Florida couple at the center of an IVF mix-up have vowed to remain the baby girl’s “permanent” parents after hammering out an agreement with her biological parents.
Tiffany Score and Steven Mills have confirmed the identities of the genetic parents of their 6-month-old daughter, Shea, and have “come to a mutually devised custody agreement,” with them, according to court papers filed in Orange County court Friday.
Score and Mills sued the Fertility Center of Orlando and its head reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Milton McNichol, in January for allegedly implanting the wrong embryo in April 2025 — a fact the hopeful mom-to-be only discovered after giving birth to a “non-Caucasian” Shea on Dec. 11, 2025.
DNA testing confirmed Shea was not genetically related to them and she was 100% South Asian but the couple loved her nonetheless.
Score and Mills are keeping the details of the custody deal with Shea’s genetic parents private, Friday’s filing said.
As part of the agreement, Score and Mills are going to “continue as the permanent custodial parents of their daughter,” the court documents say.
Score and Mills’ lawyer, Jack Scarola, said his clients “are committed” to respecting the privacy of Shea’s genetic parents. “They have begun and intend to continue to foster a relationship of friendship and trust,” with the other couple, the lawyer said.
Score and Mills also informed the judge they’d chosen a new medical center to handle any future IVF where their embryo had been moved to, according to the papers.
That embryo will be tested for parentage and then they will “determine next steps,” the document said.
They also updated the judge that information they’d received from the Fertility Center of Orlando “revealed laboratory-clinic errors” which they say could help speed their case along.
“I’m glad the parties have reached an agreement while this child is relatively young,” Orlando Judge Margaret Schreiber said during a court hearing Monday, according to a report by the Orlando Sentinel.
The couple had three embryos frozen with the Longwood-based clinic in 2020. The first was implanted and ended with Score miscarrying. The clinic had another embryo and it was unclear what happened to the third one.
The Fertility Clinic of Orlando previously said after “thoughtful consideration,” it would shutter by May 20.
Lawyers on both sides didn’t immediately return a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.
The parents have previously said that “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.”
