Australian parents reveal their side of the surrogate baby story: Thailand

[webfact]

Gammy's parents reveal their side of the story
Shanelle Miller

MELBOURNE: -- The West Australian couple at the centre of the baby Gammy controversy says his Thai surrogate mother has misled the world over the situation, and they were told when he was born that the boy had only a day to live.

The Bunbury couple - David and Wendy Farnell - say they have been traumatised by a messy legal battle and heavy media attention which has portrayed them as heartless.

In a statement to the Bunbury Mail issued through a family friend, the couple said allegations that they abandoned baby Gammy were lies.

“This has been absolutely devastating for them, they are on the edge,” said the family friend.

“Legally they have been told not to say anything but they wouldn’t be able to anyway.”

The friend spoke to the Mail to give the parents a voice during the worst experience of their lives.

She said reports made by Thai surrogate mother Pattharamon Janbua that the couple had requested an abortion when they found out Gammy had Down syndrome, and that they had subsequently abandoned the baby boy, were completely false.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/national/gammys-parents-reveal-their-side-of-the-story-20140805-100ngq.html

-- The Age 2014-08-05

[Bangmod]

Hard to tell who's telling the truth, but by the media attempts from the Thai lady, my money is on the Aussie couple.

The Thai is just in for it for the fame and the money (how creepy)

[Chang_paarp]

This is very different from what is being reported in other places. It is interesting that the parents are admitting that they knew about the second child in this interview, unlike the previous reports in Australian and international media. The allegations about the father are overlooked in this piece.

There is a lot more to this story than has been told so far, it will be interesting to watch the feral media chase this one down the road.

[jaidam]

News that the father of this child is a child molester and did time in prison for that will not help public sympathy for him. IMO he should not be allowed within a mile of any kiddie let alone having children of his own. Sad story in every respect.

[Thai at Heart]

Truly horrendous story.

[DrLom]

News that the father of this child is a child molester and did time in prison for that will not help public sympathy for him. IMO he should not be allowed within a mile of any kiddie let alone having children of his own. Sad story in every respect.

Which father? Thai or Australian? Link please....

[chooka]

News that the father of this child is a child molester and did time in prison for that will not help public sympathy for him. IMO he should not be allowed within a mile of any kiddie let alone having children of his own. Sad story in every respect.

Which father? Thai or Australian? Link please....

Father in Gammy case has string of child sex convictions

A Western Australian man believed to be the biological father of abandoned baby Gammy has been convicted of child sex offences on multiple occasions, 9NEWS can reveal.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/08/05/13/43/gammy-case-biological-father-string-of-child-sex-offences#09bb9JK6FTZw06GH.99

Edited August 5, 2014 by chooka

[jaidam]

News that the father of this child is a child molester and did time in prison for that will not help public sympathy for him. IMO he should not be allowed within a mile of any kiddie let alone having children of his own. Sad story in every respect.

Which father? Thai or Australian? Link please....

Australian. Look in todays BP or google it, lots of international papers running the story. Disgraceful.

[Katipo]

There are so many wrongs here on both sides and beyond. The entire surrogacy process needs to be reviewed. The only innocents as far as I can tell are the 2 babies. What a mess.

Fortunately there is still plenty of time for this to be sorted out so that both babies have the opportunity for a 'normal' life.

[chooka]

There are so many wrongs here on both sides and beyond. The entire surrogacy process needs to be reviewed. The only innocents as far as I can tell are the 2 babies. What a mess.

Fortunately there is still plenty of time for this to be sorted out so that both babies have the opportunity for a 'normal' life.

Remove the daughter from father for a start, these creatures only acquire children for one purpose. Remove the child from these dangers before it's to late, foster care would be better than having a monster feed on her.

[Konini]

Aussie father said to be a kiddy fiddler (has this been proved true yet?), Thai surrogate mother now wants to sue ($$$$). He said, she said - there's a lot more to come on this story now that the media have their victim and villain and we may never know the truth. Australian tabloid news services can be brutal, unless reported by Fairfax, SBS or ABC I don't bother reading or listening to it.

This is a very, very sad tale. There can be no winners.

My heart goes out to the little boy, hopefully his condition will mean he will never know about this.

EDIT: I've just read that the allegations about the father are true, although I add the rider that it was reported by Channel 9. This will open a whole new discussion on whether or not he should be allowed to have children as well as punishment, rehabilitation and getting on with life - I am in no way defending anyone who abuses children, just saying that society will have to have the discussion. If they had been able to conceive naturally, nobody would know about his past.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of it, there are 2 babies stuck in the middle who don't deserve to be. As I said, very sad and definitely no winners.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Konini

[tomyummer]

The Aussie couple wouldn't stick around for the boy's funeral if he died? Make a bee-line for the border being scared of the political situation? And switching hospitals voided the surrogacy contract? And asking for an abortion of one twin is very dangerous and one must wonder which Thai hospital would do such a procedure? Very questionable case.

[worgeordie]

But the Aussies still don't want Gammy,as he is damaged goods,but he is still

their child right ?,bought and paid for, must have been his sperm and his wifes

egg,as the kid is as white as the driven snow.

regards worgeordie

[Thai at Heart]

And as yet not a single peep or any trail of the agent. Who is this guy to be so powerful to be able to be keeping his name out of the papers?

[Time Traveller]

The story is so typical Thailand: It's got everything!

A foreign sex criminal. A Thai woman seeking her 15 minutes of fame and money to go with it. A Mercenary IVF clinic that disappears after they get their money. A Country unable to keep up with technology due to inadequate laws and apathetic law enforcement. Media sharks hunting around for their next muck racking story. And in the middle of this mess a poor little kid.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Time Traveller

[Thai at Heart]

And as yet not a single peep or any trail of the agent. Who is this guy to be so powerful to be able to be keeping his name out of the papers?

[webfact]

Australian couple say Thai surrogate mother misled the world

PERTH, August 5, 2014 (AFP) - An Australian couple accused of abandoning their Down's syndrome baby born to a Thai surrogate mother on Tuesday said she has misled the world over what happened, according to a friend of the family.

The couple, who cannot be named, have come under heavy criticism for apparently rejecting the boy, Gammy, at birth and taking only his healthy twin sister back to their home in Bunbury, south of Perth, from Thailand.

The surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, has insisted she will raise the seven-month-old child after saying the biological parents at first requested an abortion and then walked away when they learned of his condition.

But the Australian couple said in a statement, issued through the friend to their local newspaper the Bunbury Mail, the allegations were false and they did not know he had Down's syndrome, although they were aware he had a congenital heart condition.

"Gammy was very sick when he was born and the biological parents were told he would not survive and he had a day, at best, to live and to say goodbye," the friend, a woman, told the newspaper, without saying who told them this.

The birth of the twins was supposed to take place at a major international hospital in Thailand but Pattharamon went to another facility, which made the surrogacy agreement void, according to the newspaper.

This meant that the couple had no legal rights to the babies although the surrogate mother finally agreed to hand over the girl, the report said.

"The biological parents were heartbroken that they couldn't take their boy with them and never wanted to give him up, but to stay would risk them losing their daughter also," the friend said.

She added that allegations that the couple "ignored" Gammy when they visited the hospital were untrue and they had bought gifts for both infants.

"They prayed for Gammy to survive but were told by doctors that he was too sick, not because of the Down's syndrome but because of his heart and lung conditions and infection."

The friend added that the couple spent two months in Thailand but due to military unrest at the time felt they had no option but to leave without Gammy.

"This has been absolutely devastating for them, they are on the edge," she said.

- 'I have never lied' -

The case has sparked fevered debate on the moral and legal grounding of international surrogacy.

Commercial surrogacy, in which a woman is paid to carry a child, is not permitted in Australia but couples are able to use an altruistic surrogate who receives no payment beyond medical and other reasonable expenses.

To avoid those curbs, Surrogacy Australia said couples are increasingly choosing to find women willing to carry their baby overseas, with several hundred each year travelling to India, Thailand and the United States.

While the full picture of exactly what happened remains unclear, Pattaramon insisted to AFP on Tuesday she had been transparent.

"I have never lied or hidden anything. The truth is the truth, it's up to society to make their own judgement," she said.

Pattaramon has said she agreed to carry another Thai donor's egg fertilised by the Australian man, reportedly aged 56, in exchange for around US$14,900.

An agency, which she refuses to name for legal reasons, acted as the go-between.

She says the agency told her the parents wanted her to have an abortion once medical tests revealed the boy had Down's syndrome, but she refused.

Abortion is illegal in Thailand -- except in very specific cases including rape and to protect the mother's health -- and it also runs counter to beliefs in the overwhelmingly Buddhist kingdom.

Thai health authorities say it is also illegal to pay for surrogacy and someone who agrees to carry a baby must be related to the intended parents.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-08-05

[SoFarAndNear]

man that story is so crazy

[terryp]

sounds like BOTH sides are in the wrong..agreements and contracts .....

[Pib]

The birth of the twins had been planned to take place at a major international hospital in Thailand.

But Ms Pattharamon had gone to another smaller hospital, which made the surrogacy agreement void, according to the couple.

This meant that the Farnells had no legal rights to the babies, even though they are the biological parents.

The babies were born two months premature due to medical complications. She said the couple was not told that Gammy had Down syndrome, but they were told he had a congenital heart condition.

“Gammy was very sick when he was born and the biological parents were told he would not survive and he had a day, at best, to live and to say goodbye,” she said.

Ms Pattharamon then said she wanted to keep Gammy and give him a proper Thai funeral.

The couple became embroiled in a legal battle to bring home the female twin. The 21-year-old surrogate mother finally agreed to hand the baby girl over, but the couple was terrified she could change her mind.

“All this happened when Thailand was in a military lockdown and very difficult to get around,” the friend said.

No legal right to the babies because the surrogate mother went to a small hospital versus an international hospital. That don't make sense.

All this happened when Thailand was in a military lockdown and very difficult to get around. It wasn't hard to get around...you just needed to be off the street during the curfew.

Sounds like excuses to me.

[samran]

If my child was on deaths bed and then id found out they were alive i would be on the first plane back to Thailand.

Real parents do that.

But then again. Real parents spend a day with their kids if that kid only has one day on this earth.

The guy is scum and he is only digging a bigger hole for himself.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[animatic]

The Aussie couple wouldn't stick around for the boy's funeral if he died? Make a bee-line for the border being scared of the political situation? And switching hospitals voided the surrogacy contract? And asking for an abortion of one twin is very dangerous and one must wonder which Thai hospital would do such a procedure? Very questionable case.

Abortion is `100% illegal in Thailand, besides the mothers Buddhist conviction against it.

It would have been a back room procedure in a dodgy clinic at best.

[Basil B]

Who's lying???

Yesterday BBC quoted: "The parents of baby Gammy have told local media that they only knew about his healthy twin sister" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-28636247

Today they say: " The West Australian couple at the centre of the baby Gammy controversy says his Thai surrogate mother has misled the world over the situation, and they were told when he was born that the boy had only a day to live."

There are a lot more inconsistencies in their stories, talk about the proverbial Swiss Cheese.

Originally I read it was the farther who named the boy "Gammy", is Gammy a Thai name? or just a joke (reference gammy leg) by these sick dingo's

Edited August 5, 2014 by Basil B

[rwdrwdrwd]

Looks to me that they've employed a (pretty bad) spin doctor.

As other posters have mentioned yesterday they had no knowledge whatsover of the second baby, and it was all very confusing because of the language barrier.

Today they claim they spent 2 months in Thailand, knew during the pregnancy that there were twins, had detailed conversations in which they were informed that the baby would die, and entered into a 'legal battle' (with no publicity whatsover) to make sure they could take home the healthy baby.

Does not add up at all, I think they are liars.

In terms of the claims regarding the Aussie father, if true the other baby should be taken away from them immediately.

[Basil B]

The Aussie couple wouldn't stick around for the boy's funeral if he died? Make a bee-line for the border being scared of the political situation? And switching hospitals voided the surrogacy contract? And asking for an abortion of one twin is very dangerous and one must wonder which Thai hospital would do such a procedure? Very questionable case.

Abortion is `100% illegal in Thailand, besides the mothers Buddhist conviction against it.

It would have been a back room procedure in a dodgy clinic at best.

No abortion is allowed for under "Article 305 of Thai Penal Code", but not in this situation.

[WhamBam]

sounds like BOTH sides are in the wrong..agreements and contracts .....

The pedophile is the slimy little piece of excrement who travelled to Thailand to acquire a child to feed off. When one didn't meet his sexual requirements he dumped it.

Reading now about them taking the girl and not the boy does make you wonder, especially as he is (allegedly) a convicted paedo. (I say allegedly because it is sometime difficult to ascertain exactly what the fact are).

All in all, if this guy is a paedo against young girls he should never ever be allowed to be the parent / guardian of a girl. He should be removed from the scene immediately IMHO. And allowed no contact whatsoever.

Absolutely disgusting turn of events.

[Basil B]

I think even if Max Clifford was at liberty to act as publicist for the pair of sick dingo's even he would not have touched it with a "ten foot barge pole".

[coma]

The man is a convicted and serial paedophile. He should not be allowed to adopt or have a surrogate child. Full stop.

[Scott]

This is a sad and tragic story which is being made worse by the use of some nasty and inflammatory language. Please take care in how you post.

Your cooperation in keeping this thread open and reasonably clean, is needed. You may express your opinion, but please chose your words carefully.

[wilcopops]

whatever the true story, this couple were childless and took this route to "get a child". Having a child is not a "right", nor is it something that we "deserve" - having a child is the creation of another person...... and YOU of that person NOT vice-versa.

It makes me very sad that people seem to get into a situation where a human being becomes little more than a commodity in a market where "soiled" goods are unacceptable or second class.

as a footnote it also looks like the Thai healthcare system has again been been misinforming people again in births of surrogacy.

Edited August 5, 2014 by wilcopops