Gay fathers of quadruplets split up

The Kentucky gay couple who were parenting quadruplets and another baby have separated amid allegations of domestic violence, according to court records. Michael Meehan had filed a petition seeking a domestic violence order against his former partner, Thomas Dysarz. Fayette County family court judge Kim Bunnell rejected the request earlier this month, saying there was "insufficient evidence" to support an order placing restrictions on Dysarz's interaction with Meehan. The Lexington men made headlines in 2002 when they became parents to the three boys and one girl who were the biological children of Meehan and a surrogate mother, Brooke Verity of Nicholasville. A boy who was Dysarz's biological son was born in January with the same surrogate mother. Court records show separate addresses for the men. Meehan, a Lexington attorney, declined comment on Bunnell's decision Saturday. Dysarz also declined comment. Each man has custody of his biological children. Verity could not be reached for comment but has said that she initially agreed to conceive a child with Meehan through in vitro fertilization because she thought the men would be good parents. Verity, who has children of her own, tried unsuccessfully to terminate her parental rights to the quadruplets in court last year.