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Custody Battle Puts Baby's Health at Risk
18 Sep
Summary
- Parents argue surrogate's court action could endanger infant care.
- Surrogate allegedly made false claims about the baby's treatment.
- A GoFundMe has been launched for the infant's medical expenses.
Parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed are contesting a Supreme Court filing by their surrogate, McKenna West, asserting that her actions could jeopardize their son Rumi's health. Their legal team argues that pausing the parentage ruling might confuse medical decision-making for Rumi, potentially disrupting his ongoing treatment for a severe congenital heart defect.
This legal conflict stems from Rumi's birth after McKenna refused to terminate the pregnancy despite the parents' wishes, given his diagnosis. The baby has since undergone major heart surgery and faced significant complications. McKenna West has continued to pursue custody and decision-making authority, while Gilkar and Ahmed maintain their legal parentage and responsibility for Rumi's care.
Multiple courts have previously rejected McKenna's requests to halt parentage rulings. The parents' attorneys emphasize that her current Supreme Court bid could confuse healthcare providers regarding consent for Rumi's care, a critical time given his medical needs. The family is seeking support through a GoFundMe for Rumi's medical expenses, including surgeries and therapy, as a separate lawsuit in Alaska against McKenna proceeds.
