Entertainment
McKenna West Tells Biological Parents She Call Baby Gabriel Whatever She Wants
Surrogate McKenna West is scoffing at the biological parents being upset at her for naming the newborn baby Gabriel amid their nasty court battle … TMZ has learned.
According to court docs obtained by TMZ, McKenna asked the court to toss the counterclaims brought by Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed … after they demanded more than $100,000 in damages.
Nausheen and Omar alleged they suffered emotional distress and other damages from the ordeal McKenna put them through when she refused to abort the baby against their wishes after finding out it had a heart defect.
McKenna flew to Texas to give birth, but the biological parents have been temporarily awarded custody and decision-making authority over the baby. The court battle remains ongoing.
In her new filing, McKenna said Nausheen and Omar claim McKenna is violating their surrogacy agreement by calling the baby Gabriel. Nausheen and Omar insist the baby’s name is Rumi.
McKenna said the agreement merely allows the biological parents to “name any child born” under it and requires McKenna to facilitate “having this name selected by [the biological parents] placed on such child’s birth certificate.”
She said she simply gave the baby a nickname and in no way prevented the biological parents from placing their name on the birth certificate.
McKenna also says the nickname protects the baby’s privacy.
As for any argument that this violates a court order, McKenna said the judge at a recent hearing in California didn’t bar the nickname … but merely asked the parties not to refer to the baby as “Baby Gabriel” or “Baby Rumi” because it could be “triggering to both sides.”
The battle appears far from over.
What’s in a name?!?