A former gynecologist is facing a lawsuit alleging he used his own sperm to impregnate patients seeking fertility treatments, leading to the birth of at least one child who has discovered multiple half-siblings conceived by the same doctor. The lawsuit, filed last week, accuses Dr. Frederick Dettmann, who retired in the 1990s, of a profound betrayal of trust.
Mary Ellen Lukezich sought artificial insemination from Dettmann in the early 1980s with her late husband, Thomas Laedtke, due to difficulties conceiving. According to reports, Dettmann suggested using sperm from a medical student, claiming the donor matched the couple's appearance and lived out of state. Lukezich became pregnant and gave birth to her son, Joe Laedtke.
In December 2024, Laedtke, now 43, took an Ancestry DNA test out of curiosity. The results indicated he had multiple half-siblings. Upon contacting his mother, he learned of the possibility that his mother's fertility doctor might be the biological father. Laedtke expressed feelings of "disgust and disappointment" over the alleged breach of trust.
"What he did was incomprehensible, and it was such a betrayal of trust that I just want to make sure that if I have the opportunity to hold him accountable for the pain that he caused my mom and the things that he put her through that maybe she didn’t even know at the time," Laedtke told NBC News. Lukezich stated, "I feel like I’ve been raped. And it’s not right."
Following the revelation, the family filed suit against Dettmann. Their attorney, Al Foeckler, stated that numerous women have contacted him with allegations of problematic interactions with Dettmann dating back to the 1970s. Foeckler has encouraged any other potential victims to come forward, calling the doctor "a serial predator of women."
The suit does not specify a damage amount, leaving it to the court to determine at trial. Dettmann, 91, resides in Arizona. His attorney, Sean Gaynor, issued a statement indicating Dettmann has no independent recollection of the individuals making the allegations and is unaware of any evidence to support the claims, citing privacy laws. Gaynor also noted that Dettmann was never sued, disciplined, investigated, or had his license challenged, and that no ethical complaints were filed against him.
Records indicate a 1985 report filed by the husband of one of Dettmann's patients alleging assault during an examination. Dettmann denied those allegations, and the charges were dismissed as too difficult to prove. The complaint was reported to the medical licensing board but closed in 1986. Police confirmed that any case records would have been destroyed due to state retention laws, and no open investigation exists. The suit seeks to hold Dettmann accountable for the alleged deception and harm caused to his patients and their families.