A baby with Down syndrome at the centre of an international surrogacy dispute was held by the Family Court of Western Australia not to have been abandoned in Thailand by his Australian parents.
This case involved twin children, Gammy, and his sister, Pipah, born in Thailand to a surrogate mother (“the surrogate”) using a Western Australian man’s sperm (“the father”) and an anonymous donor’s eggs. The father returned to Australia with Pipah, but not Gammy. It was claimed by the surrogate that the father had abandoned Gammy in Thailand because Gammy had Down Syndrome. The surrogate issued proceedings in Western Australia seeking the return to her of Pipah to live with her. The father opposed the Application and wanted Pipah to stay living with him. The father had previous convictions going back to 1999 for child sex offences.
Then feel free to comment on the Court's conclusion, the media's representation, and the legal, ethical and future consequences of artificial reproductive technology as it applies to family law.
Important Decision - Media Publications
This case involved twin children, Gammy, and his sister, Pipah, born in Thailand to a surrogate mother (“the surrogate”) using a Western Australian man’s sperm (“the father”) and an anonymous donor’s eggs. The father returned to Australia with Pipah, but not Gammy. It was claimed by the surrogate that the father had abandoned Gammy in Thailand because Gammy had Down Syndrome. The surrogate issued proceedings in Western Australia seeking the return to her of Pipah to live with her. The father opposed the Application and wanted Pipah to stay living with him. The father had previous convictions going back to 1999 for child sex offences.
Then feel free to comment on the Court's conclusion, the media's representation, and the legal, ethical and future consequences of artificial reproductive technology as it applies to family law.
Important Decision - Media Publications
- Judge: 'Baby Gammy' was not abandoned and sister can stay with parents
- Baby Gammy: Twin sister to stay in Australia despite father's conviction for child sex offences
- 'Baby Gammy' was not abandoned in Thailand, court rules
- Court rules baby Gammy's twin Pipah be raised by Bunbury parents
- Baby Gammy granted Australian citizenship
- Baby Gammy: Surrogacy row family cleared of abandoning child with Down syndrome in Thailand
- 'Baby Gammy', now Grammy, starts kindergarten amid tensions over charitable donations
- A mother's anguish as Baby Gammy celebrates fourth birthday
- Baby Gammy: twin sister's adoptive parents could face perjury charges
- Baby Gammy's twin can stay with Australian couple despite father's child sex offences
- 2014 Thai surrogacy controversy