Who is McKenna West? What to know about the surrogate in Rumi’s custody fight

McKenna West has denied claims that she is seeking child support from the biological parents of the baby she carried as a surrogate, as a legal dispute over the newborn continues.

California couple Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, who hired West as their surrogate, recently alleged in court documents that she was asking them to provide child support and cover her legal expenses. West has rejected that claim through her attorney.

According to the couple’s filing, they also argued that West has not claimed they are unfit to raise their biological son, whom they refer to as Rumi. The parents maintain that they want to care for the child and address his serious health concerns.

The dispute began after West travelled to Texas to give birth to the baby. According to previous court filings, Gilkar and Ahmed had requested that the pregnancy be terminated after doctors identified a heart defect, citing provisions in their surrogacy agreement. West ultimately continued the pregnancy and has since indicated that she wants to care for the child.

In their latest filing, the biological parents questioned whether West was in a stronger position to raise the newborn, citing her personal and financial circumstances.

West’s attorney disputed their interpretation of a document referenced in the filing. Her legal team said the document was a draft that was never filed and was later withdrawn, and argued that it did not request child support.

Instead, West says she is seeking temporary court orders to ensure the newborn receives the medical and life-sustaining care he needs.

The dispute over custody and care remains before the court, with both sides presenting competing arguments about what is in the baby’s best interests.