Legal Battle Over Surrogacy and Heart Surgery for Baby Born with Heart Defect

The biological parents of a newborn are seeking over $100,000 from their surrogate, alleging she breached their surrogacy contract by refusing an abortion request. Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed filed a countersuit against McKenna West, who gave birth in Texas on August 12. They accuse West of misconduct and claim to have paid her $60,000 under the agreement, which included terms for pregnancy termination.

The dispute followed a diagnosis revealing the baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a severe condition. The parents allegedly requested an abortion, citing input from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. West declined and went to Texas to deliver the baby.

West denies the accusations and wants the claims dismissed. Pro-life advocate Lila Rose criticized the lawsuit, arguing West’s refusal to abort was courageous. The biological parents argue they did not coerce West into terminating the pregnancy. Court records revealed West initially agreed to an abortion but later changed her mind.

The legal disagreement extended across multiple states, with parental rights challenged in Alaska, California, and Texas. The baby, whom West refers to as “Gabriel” and the parents call “Rumi,” underwent a demanding surgery known as the Norwood procedure shortly after birth.

Child welfare became a concern for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He secured an emergency order requiring essential medical care for the infant. Federal officials also emphasized obligations under disability laws, ensuring non-discriminatory treatment for the child’s condition.

The biological parents permitted the heart surgery and are focused on recovery. Meanwhile, West is pursuing legal claims for parental rights, with a court hearing set in Dallas County.

For further updates, Fox News Digital reached out to the involved parties for comments on the ongoing legal matter.