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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jamie Stengle and Anna Wilder

Woman breaks down in court during custody fight against surrogate in Texas

  • A California couple, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, are involved in a Texas legal battle with surrogate McKenna West over custody of a baby born with a severe congenital heart defect.
  • The legal dispute escalated after West refused the couple's request to terminate the pregnancy at 23 weeks, later delivering the child in Texas, where she is seeking sole conservatorship .
  • "He's our child," Gilkar said as she cried on the witness stand. Referring to surrogate McKenna West, who sat across from her in the Dallas courtroom, Gilkar said, "She's unstable." “She's trying to take him from us,” she added.
  • Although California court records state West has no legal or physical custody rights, West asked the Texas court to disregard that ruling so she can oversee the baby's medical care.
  • The Texas judge left a restraining order in effect preventing West from seeing the infant and did not issue an immediate decision on final custody or conservatorship.

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