Connecticut Doctor Secretly Uses His Own Sperm to Artificially Inseminate Multiple Patients

A Connecticut doctor used his own sperm to deceitfully artificially inseminate multiple women. One of those inseminations in 1986, lead to the birth of Janine Pierson – and the doctor concealed the truth for decades according to a lawsuit in state court that alleges the defendant fathered other children in the same way.

Doreen Pierson and her daughter Janine Pierson, sued Dr. Burton V. Caldwell in New Haven Superior Court recently, alleging that an at-home DNA test revealed in July 2022 that Caldwell was Janine’s biological father. The complaint claims that Caldwell, a Clinton physician who specialized in endocrinology, acknowledged his actions last year.

The complaint in the New Haven Judicial District of Connecticut Superior Court says, after a referral from her OBGYN, Doreen sought care from Caldwell for fertility problems, and he told her that since her husband’s sperm had not been effective, a medical intern was willing to provide his own sample.

“On that same day in 1986, Dr. Caldwell performed an artificial insemination on Doreen Pierson using what she believed to be donor sperm from an anonymous Yale medical intern,” the complaint says. “On or about August 5th, 2022, Janine Pierson confronted Dr. Caldwell at his home, and he admitted to using his own sperm to artificially inseminate numerous patients, including Doreen Pierson.”

The complaint alleges nine counts including fraud, fraudulent concealment, negligent and intentional inflict of emotional distress, and failure to obtain informed consent. Caldwell is also accused of violating the Connecticut unfair trade practices act quote by failing to provide Doreen Pierson with the service she agreed to regarding the scope of the artificial insemination.”

The Piersons are seeking compensatory and treble damages. According to the lawsuit, Janine Pierson’s life “has forever been changed” as she suffers from emotional distress because she could unknowingly have an intimate relationship with a half-sibling. “To date Janine Pierson has been notified of 22 half-siblings with Doctor Caldwell as the biological father,” the complaint says.

An attorney for the plaintiffs Rosalie D. Louis of LTKE LAW, says she and her Co-Counsel Steve Errante and Marisa Bellair “represent a group of children who were born because of Doctor Caldwell’s deceitful actions” and the Pierson case is the first of several that will be filed. She said, “Our clients woke up one day and realized their immediate family grew exponentially overnight. Dr. Caldwell’s actions left the families feeling betrayed and vulnerable and the mother’s feeling violated,” Louis said. “These kids are walking down the street wondering, ‘hey I may be related to you’ and they’re very concerned if they have children of their own are they going to be essentially dating their cousins or marrying their cousins because they just don’t know who they’re related to, and these people keep popping up out of the woodwork. We need to make the public aware.”

Lewis added, “It is possible that the plaintiffs may bring a medical malpractice claim in addition to the claims filed so far. And in the future, we believe we may learn there may be other doctors who operated in the same fashion.”

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