A multi-state custody battle has intensified as the biological mother of a surrogate baby sobbed on the stand, accusing the surrogate of trying to steal their child. Nausheen Gilkar stated in a Dallas hearing that surrogate McKenna West is "making us run from doctor to doctor, state to state. With our baby — she’s trying to take him."
West, a 28-year-old nurse from Alaska, gave birth to the baby, whom Gilkar and her husband Omar Ahmed call “Rumi,” on August 12. The baby was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare congenital condition affecting heart development.
Gilkar and Ahmed, from Los Angeles, are suing West for over $100,000, alleging she is withholding the child instead of complying with their request for an abortion. West, who refers to the baby as “Gabriel,” traveled to Texas to give birth, seeking specialized medical care for the infant's condition. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has ordered that the baby receive necessary surgery.
However, Gilkar testified that she and her husband had already arranged medical care in California and claimed West withheld the baby's medical records from Alaska. "We didn’t even know if he was still alive for two months," Gilkar stated.
The couple had agreed to pay West $60,000 to carry their child, with a clause allowing for termination of the pregnancy if fetal issues arose. A medical team in Texas has been attending to the infant, who remains in intensive care in a Dallas hospital.
Court documents filed by Gilkar and Ahmed indicated a recent decline in the baby's health, stating, "Serious medical developments have arisen that impact the health and safety of the child. The child is in critical condition and being closely monitored at the hospital." They had requested the court postpone the hearing due to these developments.
The legal battle involves three states, with West seeking to keep the child in Texas for continued medical treatment, while the biological parents claim they had alternative care arrangements and accuse West of attempting to gain custody.
