A Massachusetts woman discovered two long-lost sisters through a DNA test—and just a month later, tried to cash in on their family’s fortune.
Carmen Thomas, 28, took a 23andMe test in February 2023 and learned she had two biological sisters, Kali and Abigail Brown. Their father, Joe Brown, had died in 2018 from an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm.
Joe, 43 at the time, had been admitted to Salem Hospital in January 2018 after experiencing severe pain spreading from his upper abdomen to his chest and back. Court documents reveal he spent nearly an entire day in pain and struggling to breathe before doctors diagnosed the aneurysm. Sadly, it was too late, and he died the next day.
Kali, Abigail, and their mother, Kristin, later sued the hospital, arguing that the delayed diagnosis cost critical hours that could have saved Joe’s life. A jury sided with them, awarding the family $28.8 million in April 2023—just a month after Thomas reached out to her newly discovered half-sisters.
After learning about the settlement, Thomas filed a lawsuit against her sisters, seeking a portion of the payout. Her suit referenced what appeared to be a joyful reunion, including photos of them meeting for the first time.
But the Browns claimed that meeting Thomas had been a reluctant act of kindness. According to court filings, they were “very upset and hesitant” about the encounter. They said Thomas quickly became “very assertive and possessive,” even demanding reimbursement for her gas, food, and alcohol, and allegedly threatening self-harm if they didn’t respond to her messages.
Once Thomas discovered the settlement, tensions escalated. The family’s lawyer, Joseph Lipchitz, called the suit an attempt to freeze the assets of a grieving family, describing it as “an affront to this Court.” He said the sisters were stunned by the legal action and ultimately decided to cease contact with Thomas in early April, citing doubts about her connection to their father since Thomas’ mother had never confirmed a relationship with Joe Brown.
Lipchitz added that the case was eventually resolved in favor of his clients, partly because Thomas’ claim came too long after her father’s death.
Meanwhile, 23andMe, once a household name in home DNA testing, filed for bankruptcy in March 2023, raising concerns about how the company will protect the personal data of its 15 million customers.
Too bad for the Nasty Greedy Hag Bitch!