Dozens of women hoping to have children are dealing with heartbreaking loss after their frozen embryos were mistakenly destroyed at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.

>> Read more trending news

Tina Mankowski, director of strategic communications for UW Medicine, confirmed that 31 patients were affected and that the destruction happened in 2014.

The mistake was not known publicly, however, until one of the couples recently filed a complaint for damages.

According to their attorney, "When these embryos are developed, they’re like extensions of themselves.”

She said her clients felt their frozen embryos were “living beings.”

“To have them destroyed without their consent, without their knowledge -- it was devastating for this couple," the attorney said.

The lawsuit lawsuit filed by the plaintiff’s lawyer alleges that the existence of a UW Medicine letter is proof of medical negligence.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, among others, will no longer be considered fee-free days at U.S. National Parks. While the MLK National Historic Park in Atlanta doesn't charge admission, the new schedule will affect such metro Atlanta sites as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Fans celebrate in the stands after Cape Verde defeated Eswatini in a World Cup qualifying soccer match at Estádio Nacional in Praia, Cape Verde, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, to clinch their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. (Cristiano Barbosa/AP)

Credit: AP