The biological parents of a baby born with a heart defect have asked a judge to end their ongoing legal battle with their surrogate.
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parents → bear → surrogate
California couple Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed alleged that McKenna West, who delivered the baby boy, was attempting to profit off the media attention, TMZ reported on Tuesday.
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TMZ → allege → Tuesday
Gilkar and Ahmed claimed West, 28, would not drop her court battle with them despite promising to do so, per the outlet.
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West → claim → outlet
The couple alleged that West was still trying to get custody of their baby, who they named Rumi, the report continued.
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report → allege → who
However, West's efforts to be involved in the boy's treatment have already been denied by multiple state courts.
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efforts → involve → courts
West previously claimed that Ahmed and Gilkar pressured her for weeks and insisted that she get an abortion after the child was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
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child → claim → syndrome
However, Gilkar and Ahmed claimed that West then changed her mind, stopped communicating with them and had the baby despite their wishes.
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West → claim → wishes
She gave birth to the boy on August 12, who she has called Gabriel instead of Rumi, in Dallas, Texas, where most abortions are banned.
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abortions → give → Dallas
Surrogate mom McKenna West, 28, is being accused of not dropping her court battle with the biological parents of the baby she gave to
The biological parents, Omar Ahmed (right) and Nausheen Gilkar (center), have alleged that West is trying to profit off the media attention concerning their baby boy
West agreed to a surrogacy deal with Gilkar and Ahmed in August 2025 through a corporation called Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists LLC.
Her contract with the couple included a clause that required her to abort the baby in the event of an 'abnormality.'
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that → accuse → abnormality
The couple claimed West had agreed to terminate the pregnancy following the hypoplastic left heart syndrome diagnosis, per Alaska court documents reported by the Associated Press.
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West → claim → Press
A legal filing claimed it was 'undisputed that West initially agreed and that she herself made the initial appointment,' per the AP.
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she → claim → AP
The condition means that one side of the heart is underdeveloped and prevents normal blood flow.
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side → mean → flow
It can cause ashen or bluish skin, breathing problems, skin rashes and a weak pulse.
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It → cause → skin
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome can be treated through a series of surgeries shortly after birth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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syndrome → treat → Control
The surgeries do not cure the defect but help restore heart function.
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surgeries → cure → function
In the US, only about 925 babies are born with the heart defect per year.
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babies → bear → year
The children can die within days or weeks if it goes untreated.
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it → die → days
At a different point, court filings said the couple preferred for West to deliver the baby in California so that he could begin heart treatment in the west coast state.
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he → say → state
The parents claimed West was 'harming' the baby by 'requiring him to be born in Texas, away from his parents and the specialized cardiac team in Los Angeles that will provide his lifelong care,' the AP reported.
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AP → claim → care
The baby was pictured with tubes, wires and breathing equipment following major heart surgery
McKenna West, the Alaska surrogate mom who refused to abort the child, has called him Gabriel, while his biological parents insist on calling him Rumi
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parents → picture → him
West eventually discovered a hospital in Texas that had a 100 percent success rate in recent years with the first of three surgeries the baby would require.
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baby → discover → surgeries
She was also put in touch with Lila Rose, the founder and president of anti-abortion group Live Action, who assured West that she would help her get to Texas.
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her → put → Texas
Days before she gave birth, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office was intervening to 'protect baby Gabriel's life' by notifying UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center of Dallas of legal obligations to provide life-saving care.
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office → give → care
Gilkar and Ahmed have accused West of contracting with special interest groups for money and legal representation, per TMZ.
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Gilkar → accuse → TMZ
The baby boy underwent a major heart surgery known as the Norwood procedure after being born.
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boy → undergo → procedure
On September 2, Texas District Court Judge Ashley Wysocki ruled against West's attempt to gain sole conservatorship of the child.
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Wysocki → rule → child
The Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County had already recognized Gilkar and Ahmed as his legal parents in June.
Plus, the Texas Supreme Court blocked her attempt to prevent the biological parents from taking the baby to a hospital in LA, where they live.
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they → recognize → LA
West took her legal battle all the way to the Supreme Court, but she was denied by Justice Elena Kagan
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she → take → Kagan
West took her fight up to the Supreme Court but she was denied by Justice Elena Kagan on September 22.
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she → take → September
Kagan did not detail the legal reasoning, which is typical in emergency appeals.
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which → detail → appeals
She made the decision because she handles appeals of cases out of California.
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she → make → California
'We are grateful that Rumi can continue receiving the treatment he needs to survive, and that he will not be stripped away from his parents, who are ensuring their child receives top-notch medical care,' Ahmed and Gilkar's legal team told the Daily Mail then.
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Ahmed → continue → Mail
'Ms. West's legal filings across three states, numerous courts of appeals, and now the US Supreme Court have sought to undermine Rumi's parents' right to provide him with the care he needs,' the statement continued.
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statement → seek → care
'Those efforts have been rejected by every single court.'
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efforts → reject → court
Photos have shown the tiny boy covered in tubes and medical equipment with a long scar running down his chest.
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scar → show → chest
The Daily Mail has reached out to West's attorney, Lincoln Davis Wilson, and the couple's legal team for comment.
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Mail → reach → comment
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