An Asian American couple from Flushing, New York reached a settlement recently with a California fertility clinic after a mother gave birth to babies from different mothers.
The Telegraph reports the couple only known by their initials YZ and AP accidentally received the embryos of different mothers. Despite being told to expect twin girls, they ended up giving birth in March 2019 to Caucasian twin boys.
They sued in July of the same year saying they knew something was wrong since both parents were Asian.
YZ and AP ultimately ended up having to give up the twins to their biological parents. The couple says they suffered “permanent emotional injuries from which they will not recover”.
The amount of the settlement with the Cha Fertility Clinic has not been disclosed, but a separate settlement with the doctor in the case, Dr. Joshua Berger, was settled for $200,000 in October.
“It’s been a long road for them,” said the couple’s attorney, Dae Lee to the New York Post. “It’s still a very touchy subject for them.”
Anni Manukyan and her husband Ashot were one of the couples who received a baby from YZ and AP.
“We were hysterically crying, all four of us,” she said. “They were saying, “We’re sorry, we’re so sorry.’”
The Manukyans say they even received a gift of gold bracelets from YZ and AP. One bracelet represented the Year of the Pig and the other had a crown and a ring engraved with tiny baby shoes.
“I pray for her every day,” Anni Manukyan said to the Telegraph. “She was a victim of this as much as I am. She’s a lovely lady. She raised my baby inside of her and after he was born.”
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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