Marissa Calhoun and her partner, Stephen Castaneda, have filed a lawsuit against Reproductive Partners Medical Group (RPMG) and Dr. Andy Huang, accusing the Los Angeles fertility clinic of discarding their embryos, an incident that has left them devastated.
Calhoun, an African American woman from Southern California, and Castaneda shared their painful experience as they seek accountability for the mishandling of their fertilized eggs.
According to the couple, Calhoun underwent three egg retrieval procedures since 2021, and their embryos were stored in an incubator at RPMG.
However, nearly a year ago, they discovered that their embryos were no longer in storage, having been discarded due to what the clinic admitted was a labeling error.
“The grief was immediate and overwhelming,” Calhoun shared, describing the emotional toll the incident has had on her.
Their attorney, Adam Wolf, pointed to the egregious nature of the mishap, stating:
“RMPG literally treated Marissa’s embryos like trash.”
According to the lawsuit, an employee failed to label Calhoun’s embryos before placing them in the incubator, leading to their eventual disposal.
Castaneda recalled the anguish he felt upon hearing the news from Calhoun.
“I never heard that much pain in her voice before,” he said during a virtual news conference, comparing the loss to losing a loved one.
The couple is now demanding transparency and justice from RPMG, though they acknowledge that no amount of legal compensation can truly repair their loss.
“Marissa and I are going through the grieving process,” Castaneda said, expressing doubt that they may ever achieve their dream of starting a family.
The lawsuit seeks damages for the emotional distress caused by the clinic’s actions.
The suit has been filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
