Surrogate Mother Appeals to Supreme Court in Custody Dispute Over Child

A surrogate mother, McKenna West, has filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a custody dispute over a child born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. West, who resides in Alaska, is seeking to challenge a Texas court ruling that upheld a California judgment recognizing the intended parents, Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, as the child's legal guardians. The child was born in Texas on August 12.

West alleges that the intended parents requested she undergo a late-term abortion after the child received a medical diagnosis, a request she refused. She is now seeking custody or conservatorship, citing concerns regarding the child's medical care. Conversely, the intended parents maintain their legal status as the child's parents. The organization Americans United for Life has filed an amicus brief supporting West, arguing that her parental rights were terminated without sufficient procedural safeguards. The Supreme Court filing requests a stay to preserve the current status while the legal proceedings continue.