Wrong Baby, Right Parents: Florida Couple's IVF Heartbreak Becomes Family Victory

When Tiffany Score and Steven Mills held their newborn daughter for the first time, something didn’t add up. The baby didn’t look like either of them—and as it turned out, she wasn’t theirs. The Fertility Center of Orlando had made a devastating mistake, implanting the wrong embryo during their IVF procedure. But instead of walking away, this Florida couple chose a path that turned a medical nightmare into something unexpectedly beautiful.

The discovery came months after Tiffany gave birth to Shea Score Mills. Genetic testing revealed the hard truth: their daughter was biologically someone else’s child. For most couples, this would spark a custody battle filled with resentment and legal warfare. But Tiffany and Steven did something different. They tracked down Shea’s biological parents through that same genetic testing and, rather than fight, they opened a dialogue.

Six months after giving birth, court documents show that Tiffany and Steven reached a custody agreement with Shea’s genetic parents. The couple retained their rights as Shea’s permanent custodial parents—meaning the baby who grew inside Tiffany, whom they’ve been raising since day one, remains theirs legally and permanently. What makes this outcome remarkable is how it was reached: not through courtroom drama, but through mutual respect and a shared commitment to Shea’s wellbeing.

A representative for Tiffany and Steven emphasized their intention to“foster a relationship of friendship and trust”with Shea’s biological parents while protecting the child’s privacy. They’re also moving their remaining embryo to another facility. The Fertility Center of Orlando, where the error occurred, announced in April that it will close and be replaced. The couple is pursuing legal action against the clinic—a necessary step that acknowledges the gravity of what happened.

What’s striking about this story isn’t just the outcome, but the humanity behind it. Tiffany and Steven faced a situation that could have fractured their family, yet they navigated it with grace and forward-thinking compassion. Shea gets to stay with the parents who’ve raised her. Her biological parents get recognition and an ongoing relationship. And somehow, in the wreckage of a fertility center’s failure, a larger family was built instead of broken.