The charged, global practice of bearing a child for others under legal agreements
A surrogate has given birth to Gabriel in Dallas after a dispute over a termination request tied to a severe heart condition. California-based parents are the legal guardians, while the surrogate seeks parentage. Texas orders require life-saving care for Gabriel, with ongoing court battles looming.
In a landmark ruling, Australia’s Queensland court has ruled that two babies born from a surrogate pregnancy are not birth siblings for the purposes of surrogacy laws. The birth outcomes involve an anonymised couple and a separate couple, with parentage formalised for both sets of biological parents under the Surrogacy Act. The court emphasised unusual circumstances, noting both children were gestational twins but not birth siblings.
The Supreme Court has denied McKenna West’s emergency bid seeking conservatorship over the baby born to her in Dallas, who Struggles with a severe heart condition. The decision leaves a California custody order in place, granting parental rights to Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar. West has argued she would provide essential care, while the couple says they fear chaos and question future medical decisions.
Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan face conspiracy to commit child abuse charges after 15 of the 16 children in their Arcadia home were removed last year. Investigators describe the home as a facility with surveillance and alleged multiple abusive incidents.