Texas orders treatment in ‘baby Gabriel’ surrogacy case after Paxton intervention
The newborn was receiving stabilizing care and scheduled for surgery after a Dallas judge intervened in the surrogacy dispute, attorneys said.
- On Wednesday, McKenna West gave birth in Texas, one day after a judge ordered life-sustaining treatment for the newborn following intervention by Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
- West alleged the biological parents sought an abortion after a 20-week diagnosis, but Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar dispute these claims, citing California court filings that West violated their surrogacy contract.
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome affects about 925 babies annually in the U.S., requiring complex surgical repairs according to the CDC. Rachel Rebouch, a law professor at the University of Texas, noted that Texas law prevents medical neglect while surrogacy contracts are "aspirational, not enforceable in court."
- Lee Budner, attorney for the couple, accused West and Paxton of turning the case into "political theater," stating "our clients' only focus at this time is ensuring that their baby receives the medical care that he vitally needs." A temporary restraining order prevents West from seeing the child.
- Texas courts maintain extensive powers to order medical care in the best interest of a child when potential neglect occurs, illustrating the tension between private surrogacy agreements and state intervention authority over newborn welfare.
37 Articles
37 Articles
California couple’s surrogate gives birth in Texas after judge orders life-saving care
A California couple’s surrogate who went to Texas in an escalating dispute over treating a congenital heart condition gave birth Wednesday, a day after a judge in Dallas ordered life-sustaining care for the newborn.
Texas court rules that baby with heart defect born to surrogate must receive treatment
The intended parents wanted the surrogate mother to have an abortion once they learned it had a heart defect. A Texas court on Tuesday ordered that the baby receive lifesaving care once born.
Associated Press News
California couple's surrogate gives birth in Texas after judge orders life-saving care
A surrogate who went to Texas after a dispute with a California couple over treating a severe birth defect has given birth a day after a judge in Texas ordered a hospital to provide life-sustaining care.
Hanford Sentinel
Baby at center of multistate surrogacy controversy born in Texas, attorney says
DALLAS — McKenna West, a surrogate from Alaska, has given birth to the baby who has been at the center of a multistate controversy over parental rights and abortion. West gave birth Wednesday morning in the Dallas area, attorney Lincoln…
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