A baby boy born to a surrogate who refused her biological parents' wishes to abort him has undergone major heart surgery as part of his recovery. The infant, named Rumi, was born to surrogate McKenna West in Texas and had surgery on Monday morning. He remains in critical and complex condition.
West, 28, gave birth to Rumi on August 12. His biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar, 43, and Omar Ahmed, 45, had requested an abortion after a 20-week scan revealed the fetus had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition where the left side of the heart is underdeveloped and cannot effectively pump blood to the body.
West, however, refused the abortion and sought treatment at a Texas hospital with a reported 100 percent success rate for the necessary surgeries. The child's biological parents' attorney, Lee Budner, confirmed that Rumi underwent the Norwood procedure, a significant surgery for his condition. "He is now recuperating under the loving care of his parents and his heroic team of doctors, nurses and medical staff," Budner stated. This surgery is the first of three required within the first few years of a child's life diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Rumi's family intends to keep further health updates private as they focus on his recovery. Budner has also addressed ongoing custody claims by West, calling them "baseless" and in violation of court records from Alaska and California. "We look forward to quickly defeating those claims as Rumi's parents continue to focus on his health and safety above all else," the attorney added.
Gilkar and Ahmed took physical custody of Rumi after his birth. The case gained national attention, and a judge ruled shortly before his birth that West could receive life-saving care for the baby in Texas but would be forbidden from contact after his birth. The biological parents' attorney stated that the couple is "devastated" by the public attention on their son's medical condition and what they describe as "political theater" by the Texas Attorney General's office and West.
West initially signed a surrogacy contract that included a clause requiring abortion in the event of an anomaly. She expressed concerns about the clause to Worldwide Surrogacy Specialist, which assured her such situations were rare. West also inquired about financially assisting the parents to prevent an abortion and mentioned hearing of individuals surviving with the condition. Despite her efforts, the biological parents proceeded with their request for an abortion, discarding earlier ultrasound images of the baby. West then discovered the Texas hospital with a high success rate for the required surgeries and informed the surrogacy agency she would relocate to Texas to mitigate costs for the couple. However, the agency liaison indicated the biological parents remained concerned about the baby's future quality of life.
West was put in contact with Lila Rose, founder of Live Action, who reportedly helped West and her children relocate to Texas for the infant's medical care. The biological parents filed a $250,000 lawsuit demanding the return of payments made to West and any additional charges. They also sought for her to give birth in California, though it was unclear if they would consent to surgery or only comfort care for the infant. West's attorneys agreed to go to California if the parents committed to the surgery. West also initiated a lawsuit in Alaska seeking sole custody to facilitate treatment in Texas.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a firm representing West, issued a statement commending her "courageous stand for Baby Gabriel’s life" and affirming that "every life matters." The firm expressed gratitude for the court's order for surgery and the "heroic, invaluable efforts" of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in preserving the child's life. The child's name was previously reported as Gabriel but later confirmed as Rumi.