Australian couple abandon surrogate twin with Down's syndrome in Thailand

[fruity]

Thank you so much for sharing that, MsFacetious.

There are so many conflicting stories here. I don't know what to believe. The bio parents' initial lies and him being a pedophile make me VERY wary.

I have reservations about both sides, to be honest. I know that will be an unpopular opinion. I admit that I struggle with some of the issues surrounding surrogacy, particularly the exploitation of the women involved.

I want for Gammy and his twin sister to be safe. That is what I'm praying for. I don't have a solution or answer for what I think the resolution should be. My heart is just aching for those babies.

 

[drsleuth]

After having a blessed little girl in my life with Down Syndrome, I can't help but wonder who exactly is "defective"..... her..... who loves unconditionally, lights up a room with her contagious smile, and never struggles to make a friend? Or those of us with typical chromosomes who struggle to see the value in someone if they aren't perfect?

I'm a nurse & have looked after many Downs Syndrome kids & adults & never met one that wasn't happy. They have such great personalities, very loving, smiling even when they are sick.........always a pleasure to care for!

 

[they'll get you]

Baby Gammy: Child safety officers visit WA home of baby's twin after news of father's child sex conviction

PHOTO: David John Farnell and his wife have been identified as Gammy's biological parents. (The South Western times)
RELATED STORY: Baby Gammy's father has child sex convictions

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ing-safety-of-baby-gammys-twin-sister/5652048

 

[they'll get you]

A worldwide booming industry!


The baby makers: Critics push for regulation of India's booming surrogacy industry

The calls come as increasing numbers of foreigners, including many Australians, pay thousands of dollars to Indian surrogacy centres to fulfil their need to have children.

The industry has been criticised for operating in a regulatory vacuum, and while there are some rules for people who take the journey to India, it is still a minefield for many unsuspecting parents.

Author and critic Kishwar Desai has strong reservations about the lack of legal oversight and what it means for the women who rent out their wombs.

"We're treating these women like animals, like you would do with cattle ... so I think that is something we need to be very careful about," she said.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-15/babymakers-critics-push-for-regulation-india-surrogacy/5389678

 

[they'll get you]

Baby Gammy: Court documents reveal father of surrogacy babies has been convicted of more than 20 child sex offences




http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ted-on-more-than-20-child-sex-charges/5653502

 

[fruity]

Baby Gammy: Court documents reveal father of surrogacy babies has been convicted of more than 20 child sex offences


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ted-on-more-than-20-child-sex-charges/5653502

This is heart breaking

 

[jjenny]

She says her doctors, the surrogacy agency and the baby's parents all knew he was disabled four months into the pregnancy, but did not inform her until the seventh month when the agency asked her - at the parents' request - to abort the disabled foetus.

She told the ABC she refused the couple's request to terminate the pregnancy because in Thai culture it was considered sinful, but she could not afford Gammy's medical treatment.

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-...ts-saw-baby-in-hospital/5647440?pfm=sm§ion=nt

Asking to abort at 7 months doesnt make sense to me considering the babies were born 2 months premmie

I wonder when the whole truth will be revealed if it is at all....

Doesn't make sense to me either. The infants were 2 months premature, so they were born at 7 months. How could anyone ask her to have an abortion in seventh's month of pregnancy. Also, apparently abortions are illegal in Thailand, so how could she have one at all?

 

[MsFacetious]

I have no issue with surrogacy itself when it's done right.
I would love nothing more than to be a surrogate.
I actually offered for my SIL several years ago.

Watching people I know struggle to have babies is heartbreaking.
If I have all the working equipment, why shouldn't I use it to help them? :twocents:

Of course the difference is that I would only do it for a couple who shared my views.
Right now the one couple I would do it for would not abort for any disability.
In fact, they lost a baby at almost full term with a disability and would give anything to raise their son.

Surrogacy can work just like any other "unconventional" situation, when it's done right with the right people.
This arrangement these people had was clearly not how it should be done. :twocents:

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Baby Gammy: Court documents reveal father of surrogacy babies has been convicted of more than 20 child sex offences

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ted-on-more-than-20-child-sex-charges/5653502

We were stunned watching these read out .. I think the guy reading them was too and even Sarah Ferguson was speechless for once ..

The fact that they left Gammy behind with such a smart mum is the reason all this came to light, she did great by giving this story so much publicity and has done a lot to help the baby girl when she thought that baby was the lucky one. Surely they wont be able to keep the baby now!

 

[they'll get you]

I googled 'pedophile adopts child' and OMG it's more prevalent than I ever imagined.
Many very horrific cases and it seems all very premeditated and well planned.

Just one of many.

I read about Matthew Mancuso who adopted a little Russian girl called Masha in which 'Mashas law' was formed.
Masha’s Law: A Federal Civil Remedy for Child *advertiser censored* Victims.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...dreds-images-horrific-sex-abuse-internet.html

 

[jjenny]

There is also this case. An Australian and an American used a Russian woman as a surrogate for one of the men's biological child. The child was then horribly abused. Absolutely awful.

"According to international media reports, including Pravda and Australia’s Sydney-Herald, Mark Newton, 42, an American, and his Australian “spouse,” Peter Truong, 26, traveled to Russia in 2005, and paid a surrogate $8,000 to carry their child. Shortly after they returned home to the United States with the newborn, they began a six year siege of sexual abuse which included shopping the child throughout the world to be abused—and videotaped—by at least eight men in the United States, Germany, Australia, and France. Creating a lucrative business for the “parents” of the child through the selling of pornographic photographs and videos on pedophile sites, including the Boy Lovers Network, the district court concluded that the same-sex couple created this child solely for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and sentenced Mr. Newton to 40 years in prison. Truong awaits sentencing."

http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-story-behind-russians-gay-adoption-ban

 

[they'll get you]

Doesn't make sense to me either. The infants were 2 months premature, so they were born at 7 months. How could anyone ask her to have an abortion in seventh's month of pregnancy. Also, apparently abortions are illegal in Thailand, so how could she have one at all?

I wasn't aware you could abort a child at 7 months SAFELY. Wouldn't that be murder?

We were stunned watching these read out .. I think the guy reading them was too and even Sarah Ferguson was speechless for once ..

The fact that they left Gammy behind with such a smart mum is the reason all this came to light, she did great by giving this story so much publicity and has done a lot to help the baby girl when she thought that baby was the lucky one. Surely they wont be able to keep the baby now!

The authorities MUST get that baby girl away from this pedophile post haste!
20 convictions!
According to the web this is more prevalent than I ever imagined.

 

[Linda7NJ]

There is also this case. An Australian and an American used a Russian woman as a surrogate for one of the men's biological child. The child was then horribly abused. Absolutely awful.

"According to international media reports, including Pravda and Australia’s Sydney-Herald, Mark Newton, 42, an American, and his Australian “spouse,” Peter Truong, 26, traveled to Russia in 2005, and paid a surrogate $8,000 to carry their child. Shortly after they returned home to the United States with the newborn, they began a six year siege of sexual abuse which included shopping the child throughout the world to be abused—and videotaped—by at least eight men in the United States, Germany, Australia, and France. Creating a lucrative business for the “parents” of the child through the selling of pornographic photographs and videos on pedophile sites, including the Boy Lovers Network, the district court concluded that the same-sex couple created this child solely for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and sentenced Mr. Newton to 40 years in prison. Truong awaits sentencing."

http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-story-behind-russians-gay-adoption-ban

40 years? Give me a break ...should life sentence or automatic death penalty. IMO

 

[gitana1]

I read it to mean he was charged with another crime three months into his three year sentence, not that he committed another crime three months in.

This is my worry too. If the law doesn't prevent overseas surrogacy in WA, and the law doesn't stop pedophiles from living with their future children, then what's to stop the bio parents from keeping the baby girl? I guess there's lots more to it, legally speaking. I hope some top lawyers are willing to take this on for the baby girl's sake. I just noticed in one of the articles above that the father has three children, and was convicted of sex offences against three children. Makes you think.

For those unaware... I am the extremely proud and blessed Mom of an 11 year old girl with Down syndrome.
I have not regretted for one second my decision to let her live and raise her. She is absolutely amazing.

I believe when I have children that I take what I get. I love them and care for them to the best of my ability.
I was 18 when my daughter was born. In no way "capable" of caring for a child with special needs.
However, she was my baby girl. I vowed that day to protect her and care for her. I have done that.
I learn what I need to know, do what I need to do and it's been an amazing and successful journey.

Gammy's surrogate mother is in for an amazing journey with this precious little boy.
She is a very lucky young lady who will never regret her choice.
I can't say the same thing about others. :twocents:

I know there are people that think my daughter is defective, I can tell by the way they look at her.
I have learned to distinguish between "She is so cute" stares and "Doesn't she know how to prevent that" stares.
My daughter? Ali would love them both equally. So I try my best to follow her example. :seeya:

BBM. Thank God your kid has you for a mama. And you are blessed to have such a light in your life. He bolder part of your statement, MsFacetious, made me cry. That level of love and purity is hard to come by. People with the attitude of your daughter should restore all our faith in humanity and the world.

Baby Gammy: Court documents reveal father of surrogacy babies has been convicted of more than 20 child sex offences


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-...ted-on-more-than-20-child-sex-charges/5653502

Hey, but everyone makes mistakes!

Doesn't make sense to me either. The infants were 2 months premature, so they were born at 7 months. How could anyone ask her to have an abortion in seventh's month of pregnancy. Also, apparently abortions are illegal in Thailand, so how could she have one at all?

Abortions are apparently not illegal there. They are, however, against Buddhist philosophy.

eta: I'm wrong. They are legal under very limited circumstances. Problems with the fetus, like disabilities, is expressly forbidden. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/doc/thailand.doc

 

[Amee]

A son has vowed to stand by his father, despite allegations the convicted paedophile abandoned critically-ill baby Gammy in Thailand.

"I can tell you how good of a father my dad was towards us. He's amazing. He's brought the best out of all of us kids," the son, who did not wish to be named, told Fairfax Media.

"The statement will cover everything, it will clear everything up," he said. "You aren't going to get any information whatsoever out of any family members until dad and Wendy have made their statement."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/baby...-his-father-20140807-3d9ck.html#ixzz39ecxcD2k

 

[they'll get you]

Baby Gammy case: Son of paedophile David Farnell defends his father

Court documents released on Wednesday night revealed Mr Farnell was convicted of 15 indecent assault charges in 1997.
The Supreme Court of Western Australia documents detail how the electrician held "secretive meetings" with the girls in a garden shed or at home, where he touched them inappropriately and forced them carry out sexual acts.
Mr Farnell is the father of three grown children, all of whom he shares a close relationship with.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/baby...-his-father-20140807-3d9ck.html#ixzz39ef4GU5r


http://www.smh.com.au/national/baby...-his-father-20140807-3d9ck.html#ixzz39ecxcD2k

 

[Amee]

Another version of events last night emerged in which the surrogacy agent involved claimed that the Farnells were willing to take the baby boy back to Australia but that the Thai surrogate had a change of heart and insisted on keeping him if she was paid extra money.

“They were tired of everything. They came up and told me that they were willing to take both babies,” the agent, who was not identified, said.

also in this link

AN AUSTRALIAN woman is terrified that she will lose her unborn baby after the Thai surrogacy clinic she is using was raided in the wake of the continuing baby Gammy saga.

The South Australian mother, who will be identified only as “Sarah”, is getting ready to leave for Thailand in eight weeks for the birth of her second child via a surrogate.

Sarah battled for 10 years to conceive a child, including unsuccessful attempts at IVF, and said she turned to surrogacy in Thailand as a last resort, where she successfully had a baby girl using her eggs and her husband’s sperm.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifes...o-thai-surrogate/story-fni0do7f-1227015923928

 

[SouthAussie]

A son has vowed to stand by his father, despite allegations the convicted paedophile abandoned critically-ill baby Gammy in Thailand.

"I can tell you how good of a father my dad was towards us. He's amazing. He's brought the best out of all of us kids," the son, who did not wish to be named, told Fairfax Media.

"The statement will cover everything, it will clear everything up," he said. "You aren't going to get any information whatsoever out of any family members until dad and Wendy have made their statement."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/baby...-his-father-20140807-3d9ck.html#ixzz39ecxcD2k

I notice that it is the son that is saying this. The father's paedophilic choices are very young girls .. of which he now has one of his own.

Waaaay too much risk of him making more 'mistakes' with this baby girl, if you ask me. He is a repeat offender.



It is also a big worry about the time he has presumably spent in Thailand .. a country with very high incidences of child prostitution. There is a good chance imo that he has been able to carry on his 'activities' off-shore, and I hope that the AFP are looking into that now. A leopard does not change his spots.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/top-five-countries-highest-rates-child-prostitution-174023755.html#q2TWpkd

 

[Ausgirl]

Another version of events last night emerged in which the surrogacy agent involved claimed that the Farnells were willing to take the baby boy back to Australia but that the Thai surrogate had a change of heart and insisted on keeping him if she was paid extra money.

ANOTHER version....this will be the agency playing CYA though. seeing as they're in the spotlight of a very annoyed Govt.

Farnell's words, out of his own mouth, have given several versions now. Including that Gammy was not their son at all, and they had no idea he existed! Then when that was proved a lie, and the media took hold of it, he flipped and is suddenly a loving, bereft parent who was hard done by.

And yup, the surrogate's probably spinning things in her own favour too - she has Gammy to lose, can't blame her there.

I feel sorry for Farnell's grown kids. In general, as well as at the moment. He might have been a wonderful father to them AND a raging pedo, is the sad fact, it happens all the time.. but I can see where they'd be wanting to defend him.

I'm expecting this forthcoming statement from Farnell that his son mentions, that's supposed to explain "everything", to be a giant pile of spin.... poor Mr. Farnell, so hard done by.... :no:

 

[PrimeSuspect]

A son has vowed to stand by his father, despite allegations the convicted paedophile abandoned critically-ill baby Gammy in Thailand.

"I can tell you how good of a father my dad was towards us. He's amazing. He's brought the best out of all of us kids," the son, who did not wish to be named, told Fairfax Media.

"The statement will cover everything, it will clear everything up," he said. "You aren't going to get any information whatsoever out of any family members until dad and Wendy have made their statement."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/baby...-his-father-20140807-3d9ck.html#ixzz39ecxcD2k

Farnell has ruined the lives of 3 women (and they are the ones we know about because he was caught and charged).

I'm sorry but I have no interest in what Mr Farnell's son has to say. It's not his call to make and he should keep his nose out of it. During one of the trials his father showed no remorse, he can rot in hell as far as I'm concerned. He's been deceiving people all his adult life, he would be even more cunning now. Jmho