Surrogate appeals to Supreme Court in custody dispute over baby with heart defect

A California surrogate has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step in over a custody dispute involving her newborn, who was born with a severe heart condition. McKenna West, a nurse from Alaska, gave birth to the child, named Gabriel, in Texas in August. Her birth mother, Omar Ahmed, and Nausheen Gilkar, have been granted custody of the infant, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

This condition makes it impossible for blood to flow normally to the heart, often leading to death within days or weeks if untreated. West wants full or temporary custody, arguing that the couple will not provide the necessary life-saving medical care. The Texas Attorney General intervened to ensure the baby received urgent medical attention.

West's attorney claims that the couple does not intend to provide the required treatments. The Supreme Court's decision to hear the case is uncertain, as emergency relief is typically challenging to obtain and the Court rarely intervenes in such familial disputes. West believes the couple is planning to place the child in hospice care in California rather than allow him to undergo potentially lifesaving surgeries.