Nationwide — Krystena Murray, a white woman from Savannah, Georgia, is suing Coastal Fertility Specialists after an IVF mix-up led her to give birth to a Black child who isn’t biologically hers. She claims the clinic’s negligence caused her significant emotional and physical distress.Murray had been trying to conceive through IVF for nearly two years. In December 2023, she gave birth but quickly realized something was wrong—the baby did not share her or the sperm donor’s features. A DNA test later confirmed the embryo she had carried belonged to another couple.
Despite the shock, Murray initially chose to raise the child. However, when the biological parents sued for custody, she surrendered the baby in May 2024, avoiding a legal battle she was unlikely to win.
“I spent my entire life wanting to be a mom. I loved, nurtured, and grew my child, and I would have done literally anything in my power to keep him. My baby is not genetically mine. He doesn’t have my blood. He doesn’t have my eyes. But he is and will always be my son,” Murray told Newsweek.
Her attorney, Adam Wolf, criticized the lack of regulations for fertility clinics, saying, “Coastal Fertility Specialists made a serious mistake, and the consequences are life-altering for Krystena. This is not the first IVF mix-up case that I’ve handled, and sadly, it will not be the last.”
Coastal Fertility Specialists called the error ‘unprecedented’ and apologized, stating they have implemented new safeguards to prevent future mistakes.
Murray is now seeking over $75,000 in damages, arguing that the clinic’s mistake forced her into an unwanted surrogacy.