When a couple get divorced you expect them to argue over property, maybe the house, a car of perhaps some wedding gifts. One New York couple are arguing over a lot more than though, the wife’s kidney… and the husband wants it back!

Dr Richard Batista donated his kidney to his wife in 2001 when she was very ill, despite their relationship going through problems at the time. It saved her life, but now the couple are divorcing and his wife, Dawnell, is refusing him access to his children, so he wants his kidney back. If she doesn’t return his kidney he wants her to pay for it, and he values it at $1.5 million.

It looks unlikely that she’ll be forced to return his kidney though as an organ that is donated cannot be classed as an asset for any financial settlement.

Batista claims that his wife cheated on him while they were married:

There is no deeper pain that you can ever express than betrayal from somebody who you love and devoted your life to.

I felt humiliated, betrayed, disrespected and disregarded for me as a person, as a man, as a husband, as a father.

His divorce lawyer commented on the reported comments from Batista:

The facts aren’t as represented by Dr Batista. We will be addressing the issues before the judge within the next few days.

Clive Bellmore