A two-day-old baby born in Texas with hypoplastic left heart syndrome is now in the custody of the biological parents, according to the parents’ lawyers. The child is receiving medical care for the rare congenital defect, which typically requires surgeries.
The case involves a surrogacy arrangement in which the surrogate, McKenna West of Alaska, gave birth on Wednesday. The biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed of California, say the dispute centers on claims about whether they requested an abortion. The surrogate reportedly refused abortion requests from the biological parents, while the biological parents deny that any such requests were made.
Across outlets, the agreed-upon points include the baby’s diagnosis, the location and date of birth, and that custody has been transferred to the biological parents. Where coverage differs is in how each outlet frames the underlying allegations at the center of the legal fight over the surrogacy agreement and reproductive decision-making.
