Surrogate Mother Seeks More Visits
Surrogate mother Mary Beth Whitehead-Gould has asked for twice-a-week visitation with “Baby M” but the child’s father wants to block all visitation, court briefs say.
Gary Skoloff, a lawyer for the girl’s father, William Stern, said in legal papers released Friday that he will present testimony at a visitation hearing Monday that will show the child’s psychological welfare is at stake.
The hearing was ordered by the state Supreme Court in its ruling Feb. 3 that restored Whitehead-Gould’s parental rights while awarding custody of the baby, now known as Melissa, to Stern and his wife, Elizabeth.
Whitehead-Gould, who gained notoriety by refusing to turn over the child she agreed to bear under a $10,000 contract, has been allowed to see Melissa once a week, for two hours, under supervision.
She says in court papers that she wants her visits with the child to be expanded eventually to half of the summer and some holidays.
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