When MaryBeth Lewis and her husband, Bob, welcomed their eighth child in early 2010 in Elma, N.Y., the couple already stood out in their community. Their new baby girl joined seven older sisters, and at the time, MaryBeth joked to a local paper that once you’re cooking for one child, “you can fix food for another.” She also insisted she was done expanding her family: “I have my hands full with these munchkins.”
Her family, however, continued to grow.
Over the next decade, MaryBeth — a nurse — and Bob — a retired FedEx pilot — would welcome more children through in vitro fertilization (IVF). According to reporting by The New York Times, they relied on a combination of their own embryos as well as donor eggs and sperm for each child after their first five, with MaryBeth carrying those pregnancies herself.
After the eighth daughter’s birth in 2010, she delivered twin boys in 2012. In 2016, at 59, she had another set of twins, her 11th and 12th children. She then gave birth to her 13th child at 62. She has described her children as “my love, my blessings,” the outlet reported.
The latest legal turmoil centers on the two youngest children — a boy and a girl born in 2023 — whom she calls her 14th and 15th. They are the only ones conceived using donor embryos and carried by a surrogate, and that surrogacy arrangement is now at the heart of a criminal case in New York.
A Surrogacy Deal Under Scrutiny
For the 2023 pregnancy, MaryBeth hired a surrogate and arranged to use donor embryos. According to the Times, authorities say she “tricked” her IVF clinic, her husband and the court overseeing the process.
Investigators allege she forged Bob’s signature on the surrogacy agreement — a serious issue because state law requires both parents’ consent. MaryBeth has claimed he was initially on board, though he later told her he did not want more than 13 children. She has said she felt unable to discard the remaining embryos and moved forward anyway.
The transfer succeeded, and the surrogate became pregnant. But MaryBeth allegedly concealed the pregnancy from Bob for months, the Times reported.
Prosecutors say that when a Zoom hearing was held in September 2023 to obtain a parentage order, she also impersonated her husband. According to the Times, she logged into the hearing under a separate account labeled with his name, kept the camera off, and responded briefly when the judge addressed “Bob.”
Days later, Bob discovered the parentage order in their mail and realized what had happened. Furious, he contacted the attorney MaryBeth had hired, who then informed the judge. That moment set off nearly two years of intertwined family court and criminal proceedings.
MaryBeth has told the Times she does not feel good about her actions but continues to contest both the charges and efforts to keep the twins from her. “It’s just terrible,” she said of what has happened since.
Criminal Charges and a Custody Fight
In 2023, a grand jury indicted MaryBeth on multiple counts, including second-degree forgery, first-degree criminal impersonation, second-degree perjury and, most notably, second-degree attempted kidnapping.
At the same time, county officials moved to block both her and Bob from gaining custody of the twins born via surrogate. The toddlers have instead been living with foster parents while the case proceeds.
“We can’t just have crimes committed with relation to the creation of life and then have them get exactly what they wanted under that criminal conduct,” an attorney for the county’s Department of Social Services argued in court, according to the Times.
The newspaper reported that MaryBeth has turned down two plea offers, choosing instead to continue fighting for custody. Bob now supports that effort, as does the surrogate who carried the twins.
Some of the couple’s older children have been upset by the continued arrivals of new siblings over the years, but many have rallied to her side. One daughter told the Times: “She’s not perfect, but none of us are. She really, truly is a wonderful mom and human being.”
MaryBeth has said she believes she is being unfairly targeted by the system for her choices and her large family. “It’s just terrible what they have done to myself, Bob and our kids,” she said after an October custody hearing.
An Unusual Case, Even for Attorneys
Lawyers involved on all sides acknowledge how extraordinary the case is — though they differ sharply in their view of MaryBeth’s conduct and fitness as a parent.
Steuben County District Attorney Brooks T. Baker told the Times that when his office first reviewed the allegations, “Is this for real?” was a common reaction, calling it an “off-the-wall collection” of accusations.
One of MaryBeth’s attorneys, Sarah E. Wesley, echoed that sentiment, describing her first impression of the case as a “jaw-on-the-desk” moment.
Attorneys for MaryBeth declined to comment further, and the district attorney was not available, according to the Times.
The Twins at the Center of It All
The twins themselves have largely been shielded from public view. A new judge has ruled that MaryBeth and Bob are the children’s legal parents, but the foster parents have appealed that decision, and the matter remains unresolved.
“We sincerely hope your reporting will champion justice, uphold integrity and advocate for the protection of two very precious children,” the foster father wrote, according to the Times.
MaryBeth has said she plans to change the twins’ names if she ultimately wins custody. Until then, their lives are shaped by the adults battling over them in court.
Their foster mother told the Times that they enjoy bedtime stories, especially Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, and like to be read to before they fall asleep.
The twins turned 2 earlier this month.
