Aggregated News
An investigation at the University of Utah is testing the presumption that IVF clinics are delivering babies who are the biological children of their clients. The story begins in 1992 with the birth of Annie Branum, the child of John and Pamela Branum. She was conceived with artificial insemination at a fertility clinic linked to the University of Utah.
Last year Mrs Branum followed up an interest in genealogy by getting all three to take a DNA test through the internet service 23andme. To the family’s dismay, the result showed that Annie and her father were not related.
A bit more sleuthing led to the conclusion that Annie’s biological father was Thomas Lippert, a deceased employee of the sperm bank, a Notre Dame law school graduate, a former lecturer in law, and an alcoholic who had served two years of a six-year sentence for kidnapping a female college student and attempting to administer electric shocks to get her to fall in love with him. Lippert had been a frequent donor at the sperm bank, as well as preparing, labelling...
Last year Mrs Branum followed up an interest in genealogy by getting all three to take a DNA test through the internet service 23andme. To the family’s dismay, the result showed that Annie and her father were not related.
A bit more sleuthing led to the conclusion that Annie’s biological father was Thomas Lippert, a deceased employee of the sperm bank, a Notre Dame law school graduate, a former lecturer in law, and an alcoholic who had served two years of a six-year sentence for kidnapping a female college student and attempting to administer electric shocks to get her to fall in love with him. Lippert had been a frequent donor at the sperm bank, as well as preparing, labelling...