NewsNational News

Actions

Couple accuses doctor of inseminating woman with his sperm

Posted at 4:05 PM, Dec 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-28 18:05:10-05

MONTIPELIER, VT — A Florida couple is accusing a retired Vermont doctor of artificially inseminating the woman with his own sperm rather than that of a donor in the 1970s.

The lawsuit against Dr. John Coates and then-named Central Vermont Medical Center is seeking at least $75,000 in damages.

It says Coates agreed to inseminate Cheryl Rousseau with donor material from an unnamed medical student. The complaint says Coates performed the procedure but inserted his own genetic material instead.

According to the lawsuit, the Rousseau's daughter determined Coates was her father in October through DNA testing. Coates declined comment on Friday. His lawyer was out of the office and not available for comment.

The hospital noted that Coates had a private practice and was not an employee of the medical center.