Couple sue Redondo Beach fertility clinic for allegedly disposing embryos

A couple sued a fertility clinic Tuesday for allegedly disposing of their embryos and making it likely the pair will never have children biologically related to them.

Marissa Calhoun and Stephen Castaneda brought the complaint against Reproductive Partners Medical Group Inc., alleging negligence, negligent hiring and supervision, conversion and bailment. They seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

An RPMG representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the case.

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Calhoun's initial treatment for in vitro fertilization began at RPMG in 2021, when she sought help in preserving her fertility by having her eggs frozen to further her future goal of motherhood, according to the suit, which further states that she endured three difficult egg retrieval procedures in 2021 and 2022.

"Ms. Calhoun and Mr. Castaneda were elated that ... they were fortunate to have enough eggs to have the family they wanted when they were ready to start," the suit states.

The couple contracted with RPMG to create embryos using Calhoun's stored eggs and Castaneda's sperm, the suit states. Last October, RPMG informed the plaintiffs that all of the eggs were fertilized and would be placed in an incubator to grow into viable embryos, according to the suit.

But a few days later, an RPMG doctor told the pair that the company had "discarded and thus destroyed all of plaintiffs' embryos," the suit alleges.

RPMG eventually admitted that one of its employees had not labeled the couple's embryos before placing them in an incubator, then removed the unmarked embryos from the incubator and intentionally threw them away, according to the complaint.

As a result, Castaneda and Calhoun may be unable to have children who are biologically related to them, according to the suit.

Calhoun and Castaneda asked for a complete set of their records, but were instead sent a set of documents that only included information prior to the embryos being thrown out, the suit alleges.

In response to the lawsuit, the clinic released the following statement:

"We are aware of the recently filed lawsuit describing a regrettable, unintentional, and isolated incident involving one patient. We have proactively communicated with this patient since the day it occurred. We have been and continue to be committed to open, direct communication and support.

We can confidently assure every RPMG patient that their eggs and embryos were not in any way impacted during this isolated incident.

Reproductive Partners Medical Group has a long-standing reputation in Los Angeles for the highest quality standards, and we have helped to bring 25,000 babies into the world. In this circumstance, as in every other, we are committed to supporting each of our patients with empathy and compassion on their journey to achieving their desired goals."

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