Baby with rare heart defect at center of surrogacy case in critical condition
Biological parents have secured restraining order against surrogate as lawsuit continues and baby receives care
TL;DR
- A baby with a rare and life-threatening heart defect, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, is in critical condition.
- A legal battle is ongoing between the baby's biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, and the surrogate mother, McKenna West.
- The surrogate is seeking sole conservatorship to make medical decisions for the child, while the biological parents accuse her of trying to take their child.
- The biological parents previously considered abortion due to the diagnosis, a factor that right-to-life groups and GOP officeholders are using to support the surrogate.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a court ruling for the baby to receive life-saving treatment in the state, and an emergency order preventing the parents from taking him out of Texas.
- The biological parents were awarded custody after birth, and filed a restraining order against the surrogate, which remains in effect.
- The surrogate claims she was urged to have an abortion but was uncomfortable with it, believing the baby had a good chance of survival.
- The biological parents allege the surrogate violated their surrogacy contract, which they claim included an abortion clause.
- West's attorneys argue she has a right to custody because she was willing to fight for the baby, and that Texas law considers the birth mother as the legal mother.