A mother and son duo have reportedly sued a fertility doctor for allegedly using his own sperm to impregnate her.
Joseph Laedtke Heider discovered in 2024 through an Ancestry DNA test that his mother’s OB-GYN was his biological father. The Wisconsin woman and her son claim that the doctor impregnated her without her consent and potentially other patients.
How Did the Son Discover the Truth About His Birth?
Mary Ellen Lukezich and her son reportedly filed a complaint against Dr. Frederick Dettman on August 6 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
Lukezich was 25 years old when she and her husband, Thomas Laedtke, were trying to expand their family around 1980. She agreed with her longtime OB-GYN and fertility specialist, Dettmann and underwent an artificial insemination using sperm from an anonymous donor whom she believed was a medical student.
In 1982, Lukezich became pregnant and gave birth to her son the following year. However, in 2024, Joseph discovered through a DNA test on Ancestry that his mother’s doctor was his biological father.
Notably, the complaint also revealed that the DNA tests confirmed that he has multiple half-siblings and other family members whom he never knew existed.
Joseph Shared His Thoughts After Learning the Truth
Al Foeckler, an attorney, revealed that Dettmann allegedly never told the woman that he was using his own sperm and did not ask her consent.
“Words cannot fully express what it feels like to learn that your entire identity is built on a lie told by a doctor who took an oath to do no harm,” Joseph reportedly said in a public statement.
The mother and son have reportedly asked for an unspecified amount in damages.
“But as difficult as this has been for me, I think most about my mother. She was a young woman who wanted nothing more than to become a mother,” the son said.
The son also revealed that he and his mother decided to come forward after realizing there may be some other people who had similar experiences with the doctor.
“If you were a patient of Dr. Frederick Dettmann, if you used his fertility services and have discovered unexpected relatives through DNA testing, please know you are not alone,” the son added.
He asked people to “come forward” so that they can seek the truth.
