Woman Who Stole Sperm From Ex, Impregnated Herself With Twins

In a story that will certainly showcase some of the growing problems in the fertility industry, a Texas man claims his ex-girlfriend stole his sperm and used it to produce twins through in-vitro fertilization. The criminal case has garnered attention because of its new and unusual circumstances as well as it now getting attention in pro-life groups.

Joe Pressil, 36, claims his ex-girlfriend Anetria Burnett used his sperm from used condoms to artificially insemination herself without Pressil’s permission. The couple was in a relationship for only six months in 2007 when she became pregnant with twin boys. Pressil was not planning on having children with Anetria Burnett and was very surprised when she said she was pregnant because, “We always used condoms.” Later a DNA test would prove him to be the father and the court ordered him to pay $800 a month in child support.

But Burnett did not stop there, she got a court order to remain in Pressil’s Texas house and made a legal bid for half of his possessions including a common law marriage claim that was eventually rejected in court. In an interview with the New York Post he said, “A gold digger is an understatement. She was trying to get community property and alimony. She’s ruthless.” But then Pressil received some interesting news when he received a receipt from a fertility clinic addressed to him.

The plot got thicker when Pressil was asked by the company, Advanced Fertility Center of Texas, to sign a release form. From there he was able to put the pieces of the dubious plot together. He found out that Burnett was taking the condoms after sex and taking them to the clinic and saving them for a future in-vitro fertilisation procedure. When confronted with the plot Burnett said she did because she did not want to leave the house after they broke up. The fertility clinic assumed the couple was married when she had her successful procedure.

Jason Gibson, Pressil’s attorney, says,“It’s not what you’re thinking when you’re in a relationship.”  Gibson goes on to say, “That’s not what most people are

thinking, that their partner is going to get a special condom, use that
condom as soon as you’re done having sex, run off to the fertility
clinic to go have an IVF procedure. That’s certainly not what my client
was thinking.”

Now, Pressil filed suit to avoid paying child support and is suing Burnett in Texas for custody of their sons.