Texas Judge Rejects Surrogate's Custody Bid for Baby, Prompting Supreme Court Appeal Over Sept. 17 Transfer
Updated
Updated · The Texas Tribune · Sep 10
Texas Judge Rejects Surrogate's Custody Bid for Baby, Prompting Supreme Court Appeal Over Sept. 17 Transfer
3 articles · Updated · The Texas Tribune · Sep 10
Summary
Sept. 2 court records show a Dallas judge denied McKenna West sole conservatorship of the medically fragile baby she delivered and dismissed her from the case, deferring to a California ruling recognizing the biological parents' rights.
A Wednesday filing asks the U.S. Supreme Court to stay that decision, arguing West needs access to information and a voice in treatment while the child undergoes life-saving heart surgeries.
West's lawyers say the baby could be moved from a Texas hospital to California and placed in hospice care around Sept. 17, despite what they call a treatable condition; one surgery has already been performed.
The dispute began after West went to Texas seeking custody and accused California parents Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar of pressuring her to abort the fetus because of a severe heart defect.
The sealed, multi-state case has drawn in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and is already fueling expected efforts by Texas lawmakers to tighten surrogacy rules next year.