‘48 Hours’ Will Feature Costa Mesa Girl

A 3-year-old Costa Mesa girl who needed a ruling from the California Supreme Court to determine who her legal parents are will be the focus of the CBS news program “48 Hours” airing at 10 tonight.

John and Luanne Buzzanca found they couldn’t have a child of their own, so they hired a surrogate mother to carry an embryo donated by an anonymous couple. But the Buzzancas divorced before the girl, JayCee, was born, and John Buzzanca said he shouldn’t have to pay child support because he is not JayCee’s father.

An Orange County Superior Court judge agreed last year, but that ruling was overturned in March by the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana. The court said that, because of their intent, the Buzzancas are JayCee’s legal parents even though they contributed neither egg nor sperm, nor gave birth to her. The state Supreme Court upheld that ruling in June.

Network spokeswoman Hilary Smith said the show previously aired May 14, opposite the final episode of “Seinfeld.”