Donor Baby
Jessica Stavena was born in 1987 as a result of artificial insemination at a California clinic. Years later, she discovered a secret about her birth that would shake her entire family to their core.
While she was aware she was a donor baby, what she learned about her donor father while taking a commercial DNA test changed her life forever.
Many Half-Siblings
Jessica, a young mother of three, currently resides in Houston. She has a wonderful life and operates a profitable medical spa at a Houston plastic surgery business.
When she tried a consumer DNA test to figure out what was causing a troubling stomach ailment, she discovered something terrible. She was puzzled when she received her online exam results after a few months. Jessica was matched with several unexpected half-siblings.
Promise
Jessica's mother, Pauline Chambless, sought treatment from Dr. Kim McMorries in Nacogdoches in 1984 after struggling to conceive for more than a decade.
Her desire was to be a mother, and after trying numerous other clinics, she found Dr. McMorries, who told her that if she followed his instructions and treatment, she would have a kid.
Desire For A Child
Jessica's mother agreed to a medical procedure known as artificial insemination in the hopes that it would finally provide her with a child.
She desired nothing more than to be a mother. She was willing to try anything at that point, having struggled for so long. She desired a child more than anything else.
A Local Sperm Donor
Dr. McMorries found a local sperm donor, whom he characterized as a tall, red-haired, music-loving medical resident at a neighboring hospital, after numerous efforts with various donors from a California sperm bank.
Dr. McMorries performed artificial insemination, and Jessica, Pauline's daughter, was born in March 1987. It was the happiest day of her life, and she had no idea how big of an impact it would have on her daughter's life decades later.
Living A Happy Life
Pauline Chambless led a happy life with her husband and did her best to raise her daughter Jessica. She was the apple of her eye.
The mother has been grateful for the miraculous child in her life her entire life. She had no idea that her daughter would uncover a secret that would rock the entire family to its core decades later.
Hearing From The Doctor
When asked about the events, Dr. McMorries said that he became a sperm donor, as a medical student at the University of Texas in 1970. Dr. McMorries stated that he never revealed the facts to Jessica's mother or other patients since policy required that all donors remain anonymous.
He also cautioned her that she could find more half-siblings through his artificial insemination donor program. This was unexpected news for the heartbroken woman.
Telling The Mother
Aside from the life-altering news, she had to face another challenging task. She had no choice but to tell her mother the truth.
Jessica's mother burst into tears upon hearing the news. The doctor's deception of her felt beyond cruel. She was enraged, and she wasn't about to stand by and do nothing.
The Deception
When Jessica discovered she had dozens of half-siblings, she also discovered who the true donor of half her genes was. The insemination was performed by the same doctor.
Dr. McMorries inseminated Jessica's mother using his own cells. He was her biological father, not some red-headed medical student. This was the shock of her life, and she felt enraged at the doctor's erroneous ethics.
Troubling Email
Soon after discovering who her biological father was, the woman received a troubling email from a complete stranger who was born in the same place as her.
A young woman named Eve Wiley approached her and asked her a heartbreaking question: “Did your mother go to Dr. McMorries for her fertility treatment by any chance?”
Half-Sister
Eve Wiley's mother was also inseminated years ago by the same doctor. She told Jessica in the email that she was her half-sister.
Their mothers both lived in the same neighborhood and were victims of their doctor's poor judgement decades ago. Jessica was both astonished and delighted to discover she had a sibling. Her life was never the same after that.
The Same Deception
Eve's parents went to Dr. McMorries for the same reason Jessica's mother did in 1986, and the consequences were the same. For years, Eve Wiley and her mother thought her biological father was "Donor 106."
He was a member of the same California sperm bank. She even became acquainted with this donor. They bonded over the father-daughter relationship, only to discover later that he wasn't her biological father.
Taking To The Court
Jessica and her mother decided to file a complaint against Dr. McMorries with the Texas Medical Board in March 2020.
She had asked the board to punish the doctor for deceiving and impregnating patients. To Jessica, the doctor's actions were heinous. He took advantage of her mother's trust at a time when she was most vulnerable.
Fighting Together
Jessica and Eve both filed complaints with the Texas Medical Board and provided thorough medical data.
They were dedicated to their struggle and wanted to see the deceptive doctor see justice. The sisters went even further, deciding that no other woman would have to go through what they had.
Made A Law
Eve and Jessica were instrumental in the passage of one of the nation's strictest laws prohibiting what is now known as "fertility fraud."
Eve revealed how she discovered McMorries' dishonesty and how distraught she was by the revelation in an emotional testimony to Texas senators. Following the touching story, Texas legislators made it a crime for any Texas doctor to illegally impregnate patients using his own cells.