Surrogate Mother Asks Supreme Court to Save Newborn

Surrogate mother McKenna West has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene in a dispute over the treatment of a newborn with a heart defect, according to EWTN News.

The boy was born on 12 August and has a treatable congenital heart defect. West seeks to block a court ruling that granted the biological parents full custody and the authority to make decisions regarding his medical care.

According to her lawyers, the biological parents sought an abortion during the pregnancy and later refused to commit to consenting to life-saving treatment for as long as necessary. The child is currently receiving treatment in Texas pursuant to a local court ruling.

West points out that if the Supreme Court does not intervene, the boy could be transferred to California for hospice care around 17 September, even though his condition is treatable. The case is thus being decided by time and by the question of who has the final say regarding his treatment.

(ewtn, mja)