Rachel Houlihan

She orders the kit online. She fills out a basic form, no leading questions, just her mailing address, that sort of thing. When her kit arrives, it's a fingerprint kit, just like the one Coral did in her bathroom with friends. But Melissa can't get any blood, so Acumetrix sends her a medical tube to take to a local lab for a blood draw.

She orders the kit online. She fills out a basic form, no leading questions, just her mailing address, that sort of thing. When her kit arrives, it's a fingerprint kit, just like the one Coral did in her bathroom with friends. But Melissa can't get any blood, so Acumetrix sends her a medical tube to take to a local lab for a blood draw.

She then swaps the dad's mouth, packages up the samples, and mails them off to Acumetrix.

She then swaps the dad's mouth, packages up the samples, and mails them off to Acumetrix.

the only possible father, the only man Melissa has recently had sex with, the Acumetrix test says he is not the father. A zero percent chance. Melissa immediately calls her partner.

the only possible father, the only man Melissa has recently had sex with, the Acumetrix test says he is not the father. A zero percent chance. Melissa immediately calls her partner.

Melissa is furious and fires off an email to Acumetrix. In a follow-up call, she's told that the lab tech who did her test is on vacation, but they believe the preservative in the tube might have skewed the results, or maybe there was cross-contamination. That's an explanation that will come up again in other cases.

Melissa is furious and fires off an email to Acumetrix. In a follow-up call, she's told that the lab tech who did her test is on vacation, but they believe the preservative in the tube might have skewed the results, or maybe there was cross-contamination. That's an explanation that will come up again in other cases.

The Acumetrix rep then suggests Melissa retry their finger prick method, which she refuses. Melissa wants a refund, but Acumetrix wants proof they named the wrong dad. So Melissa shells out $1,500 for a second prenatal paternity test with a different company. And it confirms what she knew all along. Her partner is the father.

The Acumetrix rep then suggests Melissa retry their finger prick method, which she refuses. Melissa wants a refund, but Acumetrix wants proof they named the wrong dad. So Melissa shells out $1,500 for a second prenatal paternity test with a different company. And it confirms what she knew all along. Her partner is the father.

Acumetrix concedes they got it wrong, but to get her money back, Melissa's got to sign a document waiving her right to sue and to keep the whole thing confidential. This was the moment for me when the penny dropped. How many women got wrong test results, pushed for a refund, and then were silenced by this document? How many people got caught up in the promises the company was making?

Acumetrix concedes they got it wrong, but to get her money back, Melissa's got to sign a document waiving her right to sue and to keep the whole thing confidential. This was the moment for me when the penny dropped. How many women got wrong test results, pushed for a refund, and then were silenced by this document? How many people got caught up in the promises the company was making?

I put this question to Sam and Sika.

I put this question to Sam and Sika.

Per night. Some quick back-of-the-envelope math tells me this could be around a thousand orders a year that any one employee is filling. And that's lowballing it.

Per night. Some quick back-of-the-envelope math tells me this could be around a thousand orders a year that any one employee is filling. And that's lowballing it.

Bins and bins of files, all filled with results that could make a family or break it apart. At last check, the Facebook group Coral started, the one for people who say they got wrong prenatal paternity test results from Acumetrix. It has about 100 members. But what Sam and Sika are describing is maybe thousands. And Sam, she has advice for all of them.

Bins and bins of files, all filled with results that could make a family or break it apart. At last check, the Facebook group Coral started, the one for people who say they got wrong prenatal paternity test results from Acumetrix. It has about 100 members. But what Sam and Sika are describing is maybe thousands. And Sam, she has advice for all of them.

All those tests, all those calls, all those complaints. Jorge and I wondered, why did no one try to stop the company?

All those tests, all those calls, all those complaints. Jorge and I wondered, why did no one try to stop the company?