Surrogate hit with $100K countersuit for refusing abortion: report

Key Points:

• The biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, are suing their surrogate, McKenna West, for over $100,000, alleging she breached their surrogacy agreement by refusing their request to terminate the pregnancy after the baby was diagnosed with a severe heart defect.
• The baby, born on August 12 in Texas with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), underwent a life-saving Norwood procedure, with West refusing to abort despite the parents' request, leading to a multi-state legal battle over parental rights.
• West denies wrongdoing and seeks dismissal of the counterclaims, with pro-life advocates supporting her decision as heroic, emphasizing that no contract can mandate abortion and defending the child's right to life.
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton intervened to ensure the baby received necessary medical care, securing court orders and notifying hospitals of their obligations to provide treatment without discrimination based on disability.
• The legal dispute continues, with West pursuing parental rights in Texas and a hearing scheduled for August 25, while the biological parents focus on their son's recovery and deny allegations of forcing an abortion.