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

[Ausgirl]

Anybody else feel you were being groomed?

Ugh... YES.

 

[Sonya610]

Did these two meet on one of those sites where white guys buy asian wives?

Yes, they did. She is a mail order bride.

Read it in one of the articles, it even said they are a "success story" featured on the Chinese "dating site" where they hooked up.

 

[Supernovae]

Does anyone know if there's a full transcript available?

 

[Supernovae]

He came across to me as someone not particularly interested in adult women, if i didn't know better i'd have sworn he was gay. Perhaps the wife is just there for respectability but they don't actually live as husband and wife. Maybe she agreed to play the part of wife on the condition that she could have a perfect child to keep her company. I don't know if the girl is in danger because he doesn't seem to rape his own children. But my sense is that there's something definitely not quite right with him. MOO and hopefully not incurring of modwrath.

Even if he doesn't, there are advantages to having a daughter for a man with his predilections, as the case of another recently imprisoned elderly antipodean shows. People trust men more if they're also parents. Little girls have friends who come round, and sometimes even sleep over...

 

[jjenny]

The best I can piece together the whole story after listening to all three (the bio parents, the surrogate, the agency) is that the agency told the bio parents very late that the boy had Down syndrome. He became angry and demanded a refund. With the abortion being illegal in Tailand, and the surrogate mother against abortion because of her religion, it doesn't sound like abortion was ever possible, even if agency informed the bio parents early about Down syndrome. I guess the bio dad doesn't understand that?
The agency then asked surrogate mother to come up with the solution, at which time she agreed to keep the child, which agency decided was the good solution. Considering that bio dad is a convicted pedophile, I think it's the little boy who is the luckier one of the twins.

 

[sherbetjello]

This story is so screwed up.

How was it possible for the surrogate (agency) not to know that this man was a convicted sex criminal? Do they do checks like that in Thailand, . . . do they plan on doing that in the future?

I mean, they were able to check the status/heath of the child, but not $33 to do a background check on this we!rdo.

 

[Sonya610]

This story is so screwed up.

How was it possible for the surrogate (agency) not to know that this man was a convicted sex criminal? Do they do checks like that in Thailand, . . . do they plan on doing that in the future?

The industry is "unregulated" in Thailand, or at least it was.

The agencies care about paying clients, I am sure a background check never even crossed their minds, but on the other hand if the couple was able to conceive naturally there would be no barriers to having as many kids as they like.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

The ugly law used to keep disabled children from migrating to Australia

IT’S the law you never knew we had.

Or, if you remember the embarrassing case of Dr Bernhard Moeller, it’s the law you thought we’d gotten rid of.

Last week Australians opened their hearts and wallets to the cause of baby Gammy, horrified at the idea that a child could allegedly be rejected because of his imperfections.

Yet Australia’s Migration Act, barely updated since 1958, allows us to do exactly that, whenever the opportunity arises.

Under the Act, children with Down syndrome and other disabilities are automatically refused permanent residency because they are judged a financial burden to taxpayers.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...ing-to-australia/story-fnixwvgh-1227021191521

 

[Mrs G Norris]

On the interview I noticed whenever she asked him a good question he broke down in tears (conveniently) .. I thought the sob fest at the end was ridiculous .. creepy creepy man.

 

[zwiebel]

Cold, cold fish. Both of them. In my opinion.

 

[zwiebel]

The ugly law used to keep disabled children from migrating to Australia

IT’S the law you never knew we had.

Or, if you remember the embarrassing case of Dr Bernhard Moeller, it’s the law you thought we’d gotten rid of.

Last week Australians opened their hearts and wallets to the cause of baby Gammy, horrified at the idea that a child could allegedly be rejected because of his imperfections.

Yet Australia’s Migration Act, barely updated since 1958, allows us to do exactly that, whenever the opportunity arises.

Under the Act, children with Down syndrome and other disabilities are automatically refused permanent residency because they are judged a financial burden to taxpayers.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...ing-to-australia/story-fnixwvgh-1227021191521

I knew! It's the legislation that got me turned down as a babe. Funny thing is, I got better in the end. I kinda like it in Europe anyhow....but would still like to visit Australia one day, even though you didn't want me.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

It's a bit sketchy in my opinion, because my best friends mum moved over to Australia from the UK because she had health issues and the doctors told the family that a warmer climate would do her good, so I guess it really depends on who does the assessment!

 

[BatWoman]

It would have to depend on the residency status of the parents listed on the birth certificate. Surely if one or both parents is Australian they can't refuse entry to the child???

 

[Oblio]

It would have to depend on the residency status of the parents listed on the birth certificate. Surely if one or both parents is Australian they can't refuse entry to the child???

My friend's husband is Australian and he can't bring home their adopted children. Not exactly the same, but I'm wondering with surrogacy, there may be "adoption" involved in some way, legally speaking.

 

[Oblio]

@gitana1 look.

The ugly law used to keep disabled children from migrating to Australia

IT’S the law you never knew we had.

Or, if you remember the embarrassing case of Dr Bernhard Moeller, it’s the law you thought we’d gotten rid of.

Last week Australians opened their hearts and wallets to the cause of baby Gammy, horrified at the idea that a child could allegedly be rejected because of his imperfections.

Yet Australia’s Migration Act, barely updated since 1958, allows us to do exactly that, whenever the opportunity arises.

Under the Act, children with Down syndrome and other disabilities are automatically refused permanent residency because they are judged a financial burden to taxpayers.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/re...ing-to-australia/story-fnixwvgh-1227021191521

 

[Walk A Mile]

My friend's husband is Australian and he can't bring home their adopted children. Not exactly the same, but I'm wondering with surrogacy, their may be "adoption" involved in some way, legally speaking.

I read that Thai surrogates should be single or divorced so the bio father will be named as father on the birth certificate. I got that from here:
http://www.familiesthrusurrogacy.com/surrogacy-by-country

I've also read that Gammy's surrogate mother is married. Perhaps the surrogate and her husband are the parents named on the birth certificate.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I knew! It's the legislation that got me turned down as a babe. Funny thing is, I got better in the end. I kinda like it in Europe anyhow....but would still like to visit Australia one day, even though you didn't want me.

:hug: we held back a treasure like you, so sad.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

I read that Thai surrogates should be single or divorced so the bio father will be named as father on the birth certificate. I got that from here:
http://www.familiesthrusurrogacy.com/surrogacy-by-country

I've also read that Gammy's surrogate mother is married. Perhaps the surrogate and her husband are the parents named on the birth certificate.

But how did Mrs Farnell bring the baby girl in to Australia? I read somewhere the baby came in on her passport, so then she is not listed as Mrs Farnell but her maiden name. :thinking: So Farnell isn't listed as the father.

 

[Kaliste]

I just saw this on the news (I'm a few weeks behind the times apparently!) and I am RAGING! I don't care about the legalities right now, did you all see his sweet little face?? Gimme gimme gimme!

 

[Amee]

this surrogate story is from Feb but an interesting read at what was involved.

Since then there have been various paperwork hurdles to clear from their temporary home in a Bangkok apartment

DNA tests had to be performed to confirm the South Australians are the biological fathers. Blood from heel pricks on the babies were taken in the Bangkok hospital with an Australian Embassy official present as a witness, and sent to an Australian laboratory which confirmed Mark and Matt as the fathers.

Then Embassy officials last week held a detailed interview with the two surrogates to ensure they were still voluntarily willing to carry out the contract and let the two fathers take over as sole parents.

After the Embassy meeting the women were encouraged to hold the newborns and have photos taken with them to ensure they were willing to relinquish them.

With Australian citizenship for the children, the new family is waiting on fast track passports before finally leaving Bangkok this week to start a new life

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...-surrogate-twins/story-fni6uo1m-1226821437995