Kriti Mehrotra
HBO’s ‘Baby God’ is a harrowing investigative documentary that looks into the life and actions of a fertility specialist, Dr. Quincy Fortier, who used his sperm to impregnate patients without their knowledge or consent. At one point in time, Dr. Quincy was considered to be a miracle worker in his field and the pillar of his community in Las Vegas, Nevada. But his criminal abuse of trust rightfully marred his reputation. After all, it unearthed identity crises for many people who suddenly realized that they could be related to a “monster.”
Directed by Hannah Olson, who first learned about Dr. Quincy Fortier while working on the PBS series ‘Finding Your Roots,’ this documentary highlights all the haunting adventures of the man who lied to his patients and injected his own sperm in them rather than the one they wanted. By following the lives of several of his biological children and hearing their sides of the story, we find out the consequences of Dr. Quincy’s actions. So, if you’re here wondering exactly how many children he fathered, we’ve got you covered.
How Many Kids Did Dr. Quincy Fortier Have?
Dr. Quincy Fortier began his general practice in medicine in Pioche back in 1945, and after finding massive success, he opened and operated a Women’s Hospital in Las Vegas in 1961. With the kind of work that he did and the reputation that he had, women who came to him trusted him to do what they had asked and paid him to – inseminate them with the sperm of their husband, partner, or chosen donor. However, instead of doing that, most times, Dr. Quincy switched the active sperm with his own, impregnating them with his child. An act that some consider perverted and crazy if not outright sinister.
The current record of Dr. Quincy’s children totals 24, with the number rising each month as more and more people find out their true parentage via DNA tests and analysis. It is speculated that the doctor may have fathered “hundreds” of children. Men and women from all across America, ranging from 30-something-year-olds to those touching their 80s, are related as half-siblings because of him. And nearly all of them were shocked to discover the truth about their lineage, which they came to know after trying out the services offered by biotechnology companies and websites like 23andme and Ancestry.com.
Apparently, back in the 1950s and 1960s, it was common practice for some specialists to combine their own semen to the samples of the woman’s preferred ones to increase the chances of pregnancy. The idea was that if the result was a healthy baby, which was what the patients wanted, then why would the question of “who is the father” matter? From what we can tell, this practice, known as “sperm mixing,” was undertaken by Dr. Quincy for at least four decades, if not longer. And unfortunately, the first time he was questioned about it was not until 1996, when a former patient became suspicious and sued him.
The former patient thought that she was being inseminated with her husband’s sperm during her visits to Dr. Quincy in 1974 and 1976. But DNA tests later confirmed that it was the doctor who had fathered her two children. And so, when this case went to court for trial, a confidential settlement was reached. But for the next decade, until he died in 2006, Dr. Quincy was dogged by lawsuits, serious allegations of sexual abuse, misconduct, and much more. Wendi Babst, Mike Otis, and Jonathan Stensland are just three of his children, and all of them are left scarred by what happened to them and their biological mothers.
Read More: How Did Dr. Quincy Fortier Die?
