• Source:JND
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A 28-year-old Yonkers woman has sued two DNA testing labs after a suspected paternity test mistake caused her to end her pregnancy, a move that has left her emotionally shattered and destroyed her long-term relationship. From The New York Post, it is reported that the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, was deceived by the results of Bronx-based Winn Health Labs and Ohio-based DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC). Convinced the child was not conceived by her fiancé after seeing the results from the labs, she went ahead with the agonizing abortion, only to be informed months later that the results were false.

The woman and her fiancé had been trying to conceive, but they briefly separated, during which she had a single protected encounter with another man. When they reconciled and found that she was pregnant, she requested paternity testing to allay suspicions brought about by the break-up. After investing over 1,000 USD in inconclusive tests, they approached Winn Health Labs, which she claims conducts business out of a back room of a hair salon. The test revealed, with 99.99 per cent accuracy, that her fiancé was not the father. Confronted with that finding and approaching New York's 24-week legal abortion threshold, she had a two-day abortion procedure. She claims she never had any doubt about the finding and had even undergone a gender reveal.

Months later, on Valentine's Day, the woman received a call from DNA Diagnostics Center, acknowledging the result was incorrect due to an "IT error." Her fiancé, and not the other man, was the father. The emotional damage was, by then, irreparable. Although they tried to remain together, the couple broke up in March. She is currently seeking therapy and justice as well.

Legal Implications To Ensure No One Else Suffers

Her attorney, Craig Phemister, has criticized the four-month wait to fix such a life-changing error. "When individuals are making significant life choices based on these results, the delay is unacceptable," he stated to the New York Post. The lawsuit raises legitimate questions about the regulation and accuracy of DNA testing services, particularly as more individuals use them to make life-altering personal decisions. “How many other people did this happen to?” the woman asks, determined to ensure no one else suffers the same fate.