U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan Declines Surrogate's Custody Request in Texas Baby Case
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has rejected a request from surrogate McKenna West to intervene in a high-profile custody battle over a baby born in Dallas, Texas. The decision means a California couple, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, will maintain custody of their biological child. West, an Alaskan nurse, had sought conservatorship over the child, which would have granted her a say in the baby's medical treatment. She also aimed to block a lower-court ruling that favored the biological parents. Justice Kagan, who oversees emergency court requests from California, did not provide an explanation for her order. The dispute began after the fetus was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a life-threatening condition requiring multiple surgeries. The biological parents had asked West to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused and moved to Texas, where abortion is banned, seeking custody. Texas courts, aligning with California decisions, have consistently ruled against West's custody requests.
