'Baby God': Was Quincy Fortier pedophile? Disgraced doctor allegedly impregnated stepdaughter, abused children
When Wendi Babst, a retired police captain, decided to try out Ancestry.com's home DNA testing kit, she had no idea that she would discover tens of half-siblings, and that the man she thought was her father was not her father. After her mother, Cathy Holm visited Dr Quincy Fortier for fertility treatments, Fortier decided to use his own sperm to inseminate Cathy. Cathy was not the only woman he did this to, Fortier used his sperm for many of the women who would come for treatments to his Women's Hospital.
Quincy Fortier is the subject of HBO's latest documentary, 'Baby God', directed by Hannah Olson. In the documentary, we meet other biological children of Fortier's, including Mike Otis. It is revealed that Otis's mother, Dorothy Otis, did not visit Fortier for fertility issues, and yet found herself pregnant. She laments that she had plans to go back to school, yet reaffirms that she is grateful for her son.
What Fortier did can be termed medical rape — using his own sperm to inseminate without the consent or even knowledge of the patients — yet, there might be some, like Fortier's adopted daughters who think that he may have done so because other sperm samples might have been contaminated or did not work. And for a while, you can entertain that doubt, but with Dorothy's story, and that of his own stepdaughter, it becomes harder to believe that Fortier had good intentions.
Through her investigation to learn more about the man who is her biological father, Babst uncovered recanted allegations from his stepdaughter, Carlene Fortier. Carlene had testified that Fortier had started molesting her when she was just four or five years old, and it continued till she was 13. Thereafter, Fortier would molest her on the pretext of medical examination and when she was 17, Carlene was shocked to learn that she was pregnant, when she had never had sexual relations herself.
Rather than letting her abort the fetus, Fortier sent her to a home for unwed mothers, where after she gave birth, the baby was put up for adoption. As an adult, Carlene's child, named Jonathan Stensland by his parents, looked Carlene up. Stensland speaks to Wendi about meeting Fortier, who said that he had "accidentally" exchanged swabs while performing an exam on Carlene.
The more we learn about Fortier, the harder it becomes to deny that Fortier had undoubtedly sexually molested his own children and his patients. In 2000, his son, Quincy Fortier Jr filed a lawsuit against Fortier alleging that the latter sexually abused him during his childhood, as well as his siblings. Fortier, in turn, filed a counterclaim against his son. In it, he accuses his son of extortion and of making disparaging statements that have placed him in a false light. Fortier Jr's lawsuit was rejected by the jury in 2002.
However, Fortier Jr continues to maintain his allegations even after his father's death. In 'Baby God', he says: “My father was crazy. Also, a pervert,” explaining that his dad molested him, each of his four sisters, his younger brother, and virtually any other kid that came into his orbit. “He wanted to play,” he continues. He goes on to say, "[My father] molested everyone. The happiest he ever made me was lying in his coffin dead. That's when I knew I was safe."
'Baby God' premieres on HBO on Wednesday, December 2, at 9/8c. The documentary will also be available to stream on HBO Max.