A jury in the US state of Colorado awarded $8.75 million (roughly Rs 70 crore) to a woman who accused a fertility doctor of using his own sperm to impregnate her mother and at least a dozen women via artificial insemination
Maia Emmons-Boring and seven other families had filed a lawsuit in October 2019 against Dr. Jones and the clinic where he worked, Women’s Health Care of Western Colorado. He was accused of medical negligence, fraud and breach of contract. Off the seven families, five settled for an undisclosed amount before the case went to trial.
Because Maia Emmons-Boring’s family filed more claims against Dr. Jones than against the clinic, they are expected to receive the vast majority of the $8.75 million, 9News reported.
Maia, in her lawsuit, stated that the doctor, in the late 1970s, was hired by her mother to help her conceive using artificial insemination. Instead of using an anonymous sperm donor — as he told Maia’s mother he would — the lawsuit maintains the doctor secretly used his own sperm.
The lawsuit reads, “Instead of using ‘fresh’ sperm from an anonymous donor to inseminate Mrs. Emmons during these procedures, Dr. Jones used his own ‘fresh’ sperm to artificially inseminate Plaintiff Mrs. Emmons.”
The 41-year-old believes Jones fathered at least 17 children with 12 women from 1975 to 1997. “I feel [Jones] needs to own up to what he did,” she said, asking, “Why? Why did you do this?’”
Well, it is a question Jones, who is now in his 80s, does not wish to answer, as he said, “I don’t deny it. I don’t admit it.”
Meanwhile Maia told The Sun that she stays in touch with her half-siblings not just to build bonds but also to ensure that none of their children ever date one another.
And as far as her family is concerned, it’s a happy place now. She said, “I still have a great relationship with my parents, and I’ve learned so much about myself – not just the truth about my biology, but the strength of my character.”
