The popularity of home administered DNA tests—by companies like Ancestry.com and 23 and Me—has lead to people finding out more about their roots.
But not all of the surprises have been good ones.
Morgan Hellquist of Genesco, New York discovered multiple half-siblings after performing a home DNA test. The woman's parents had used what they thought was an anonymous sperm donor.
After some investigation, it turned out the family's fertility doctor used his own sperm.
Dr. Morris Wortman runs a fertility and women's reproductive health clinic, The Center for Menstrual Disorders, which the woman's parents used from 1983 - 1985 to conceive. Morgan Hellquist had sought her own treatment from Wortman from 2012 - 2021.
You can see local news coverage here:
Hellquist filed a lawsuit in response to the revelation Wortman is her biological father.
According to the plaintiff, Wortman claimed her parent's sperm donor was a University of Rochester medical student with a specific ethnic background and no history of health issues. In the late 1990s, she asked Wortman's practice for more information about her biological father, but the doctor claimed he hadn't kept records.
Hellquist turned to home DNA testing after the death of the father who raised her in 2016. She discovered her ethnicity was not what her parents had been told.
As a result of her DNA testing, Hellquist discovered six half-siblings—all conceived through artificial insemination—from 1981 - 1985.
After several awkward interactions with Wortman and his current wife, Hellquist began to suspect he was her father. One of her half-siblings confirmed this by contacting Wortman's acknowledged daughter from his first marriage, who agreed to undergo DNA testing.
The results showed a 99.99999% chance Wortman's daughter is also their half-sister.
Lawsuit alleges Rochester Dr. Morris Wortman fathered at least six children by patients, apparently supplying his semen for what was purportedly anonymously donated semen. The resultant children matched their DNA with that of a known Wortman daughter.— Bob Lonsberry (@Bob Lonsberry) 1631545246
LONSBERRY: Rochester Dr. Morris Wortman Sued For Using His Own Sperm to Impregnate Women Without Consenthttps://wham1180.iheart.com/content/2021-09-13-roc-doc-sued-for-using-his-own-sperm-to-impregnate-women-without-consent/\u00a0\u2026— Bob Lonsberry (@Bob Lonsberry) 1631546486
The lawsuit alleges Dr. Morris Wortman, a local gynecologist, told at least one patient he was using a sperm donor, and instead used his his own sperm to impregnate the woman.https://trib.al/qtqT9Kl— News 8 WROC (@News 8 WROC) 1631579706
Morris Wortman case highlights lack of penalties for fertility fraud by doctors #ROC #RochesterNYhttps://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2021/09/20/morris-wortman-rochester-ny-doctor-case-highlights-lack-of-penalties-for-fertility-fraud/8350118002/\u00a0\u2026— Democrat & Chronicle (@Democrat & Chronicle) 1632150025
Carl Lore II was blindsided in early 2019 when he learned he was conceived through artificial insemination. Now it turns out his mother was lied to about the donor, who DNA testing indicates is Dr. Morris Wortman. #ROChttps://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2021/09/15/morris-wortman-alleged-victim-speaks-out/8338673002/\u00a0\u2026— MarciaGreenwood (@MarciaGreenwood) 1631717980
The lawsuit alleges medical malpractice by Wortman and several employees at his clinic, claiming Wortman knowingly used his own sperm to inseminate the plaintiff's mother.
He then later treated his biological daughter, Morgan Hellquist, for nine years.
He performed numerous pelvic examinations, transvaginal ultrasounds and IUC placements under sedation. Hellquist's lawsuit states "no reasonable woman" would consent to Wortman's treatment if they knew he was their biological father.
Gynecologist Morris Wortman treated his biological daughter, lawsuit alleges\n\nHellquist \u201cwas in shock and disbelief that he [Wortman] would continue [to] treat her as her gynecologist if she were his biological daughter,\u201d the lawsuit states.https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/15/gynecologist-wortman-daughter-lawsuit/\u00a0\u2026— Karol Cummins (@Karol Cummins) 1631806176
A very messy situation, if allegations against Dr. Wortman are substantiated.\n\nWhat if two of the offspring hook up down the road -- not realizing they are close kin?https://twitter.com/BobLonsberry/status/1437427295669481480\u00a0\u2026— Joe Mahoney (@Joe Mahoney) 1631544615
Hellquist is suing for multiple transgressions by Wortman and his practice, including medical malpractice, lack of informed consent, negligence, fraud and battery.
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