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 dispute with their surrogate, McKenna West, over custody of their newborn diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a life-threatening heart defect.
• The couple claim the child's condition has worsened significantly since birth, and they accuse West of trying to take the baby from them after previously urging an abortion, which West refused.
• West is seeking sole conservatorship to make medical decisions, arguing the couple was not committed to life-saving care, while the couple maintain West violated their surrogacy contract and have a restraining order barring her from contact with the child.
• The court has yet to issue a final custody or conservatorship ruling, and the case highlights complex legal and ethical issues surrounding surrogacy, abortion, and parental rights across different state laws.
• The dispute has drawn attention from right-to-life groups and GOP officials, with West asserting she is the child's mother and willing to fight for custody despite prior rulings denying her legal rights.