Paternity Testing Proves Twins Have Different Fathers

An extremely rare medical occurrence, this happens as the result of two different men’s sperm, fertilizing two eggs, from the same woman, during a single fertilisation period. The woman in question, from Dallas, America, appeared stunned at the results.

Paternity testing can be carried out without age restrictions, with in-utero and post mortem testing both possible. Typically, all is needed is a mouth swab (buccal swab), or a blood sample. The procedure with mouth swabs simple entails rubbing the swabs inside the mouth – a procedure which is fully explained by clicking here. Tissue samples and semen can also be used to carry out paternity testing, although this is more difficult.

The official medical term, ‘heteropaternal superfecundation’ probably means little to Jordan and Justin Washington, aged eleven months, at the centre of the paternity testing case. However, the paternity testing meant a lot to James Harrison, Mia’s partner, and father to baby Jordan.

When Mr Harrison noted the difference in appearance of the baby boys, he demand Mia Washington agree to having paternity testing carried out. The paternity testing results concluded that James Harrison showed a 99.9% positive result for sharing DNA with only ONE of the boys, (Jordan) and a 0% probability of a biological relationship to baby Justin (More information about paternity test results can be found here).

Mia Washington expressed her dismay, stating that “Out of all the people in America and all the people in the world, this had to happen to me.” She did admit to having sexual relations with another man, shortly before becoming pregnant by her fiancé, James Harrison. It is not thought that Mia Washington, the twenty-year-old Texan, has contacted the man with whom she had an affair, to tell him of the events. However, due to the rarity of the case, it has now been reported in newspapers and on internet sites around the world.

Indeed, Mia Washington is not the only one to be surprised by the outcome of the paternity testing. Genny Thibodeaux, who works for the DNA laboratory where the test was carried out, stated that this “…crazy situation can happen, despite most people believing it doesn’t… but when it does, usually the babies are of different ethnic backgrounds, so it is easier to spot”.

Mia Washington’s adultery does not seem to have harmed her relationship with her fiancé though, as she is currently pregnant again, this time with what she assures him, is his child. She has not revealed the identity of baby Justin’s father, stating that she will explain the genetic difference to the boys when they are older. To his credit, Mr Harrison states he loves both children and will raise them together.

This case highlights the relevance of paternity testing in today’s modern society. And, although what occurred in this instance is extremely rare, women and men having affairs outside long term relationships is by no means a rare occurrence. Modern medical technology – paternity testing – can now reveal what, in the past, would certainly have remained hidden. Once upon a time, Mia Washington’s adulterous actions would have remained a secret from her fiancé, and differences in appearances of her baby boys simply chalked down to inherited looks from either parent’s families.