California couple confront their surrogate in a Texas court as dispute over newborn escalates

Key Points:

• A California couple, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, are in a Texas court battle with their surrogate, McKenna West, over custody of a newborn with a life-threatening heart defect, hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
• The couple claims the baby's condition has worsened and accuses West of trying to deny them parental rights after they initially sought an abortion, while West seeks sole conservatorship to make medical decisions.
• West, who had the baby in Texas due to restrictive abortion laws, testified she was uncomfortable with the abortion request and believes the child has a good chance of survival despite the diagnosis.
• The surrogate and her attorneys argue the couple was not fully committed to life-saving care, citing their initial desire to terminate the pregnancy, and West is willing to drop custody claims if the court finds the couple committed to treatment.
• The couple alleges West violated their surrogacy contract, but West disputes California court rulings denying her custody rights, highlighting the complex and varied state laws governing surrogacy.