White Couple Gives Baby To His Black Genetic Parents In Embryo Mix-Up Case

Jet, June 14, 1999

A Black baby born to a White couple because of a mix-up during embryo implantation has been handed over to his genetic parents.

The baby, born Dec. 29 to Donna and Richard Fasano of New York, was given to Deborah Perry-Rogers and Robert Rogers of Teaneck, NJ, during a visit to the Fasano home. The baby is named Joseph.

The custody change came to light in papers filed in Manhattan's State Supreme Court where the Rogerses asked for declarations that they are the infant's parents and for permanent custody for him (JET, April, 19).

Mrs. Fasano, 37, also gave birth to a White boy-Joseph's fraternal twin-who is genetically hers and her husband's. The Fasanos have said they wanted the boys to grow up knowing each other as brothers.

Mrs. Perry-Rogers, 33, is a nurse; her husband Robert, 35, is a teacher. The Fasanos work in finance.

The mix-up happened at the Manhattan fertility clinic of Dr. Lillian Nash. Mrs. Fasano and Mrs. Perry-Rogers had stored fertilized eggs at the clinic and both visited on April 24, 1998, for embryo implantation.

Dr. Nash's associate, Dr. Michael Obasaju, has admitted that he mistakenly put some of Mrs. Perry-Rogers' embryos into a catheter used to implant Mrs. Fasano's embryos, a state Health Department report says.

The Fasanos and the Rogerses have sued Nash and Obasaju for unspecified damages.