NATION : Father in Custody Battle Killed

A man awarded custody of a child born to a surrogate mother was found shot inside his ex-wife’s apartment, where he had gone to pick up the child, authorities said. Richard Reams died early today after undergoing surgery at a Columbus hospital. His former wife, Beverly Seymour, was in stable condition at another hospital because of an overdose of an unknown substance.

On Monday, Reams won permanent custody of 5-year-old Tessa Reams, who was the focus of a three-way court battle among Reams, Seymour and the surrogate mother, Norma Lee Stotsky. Tessa was born Jan. 12, 1985, to Stotsky, who was paid $10,000 to be a surrogate mother for Reams and Seymour. Reams and Seymour were divorced a year later.

The biological father of Tessa is not Reams but a friend of Stotsky’s who did not seek custody.