Surrogate mother demands return of Gammy’s sister

The Thai surrogate mother of baby Gammy has asked for the baby she says is his twin sister to be returned to her after it was reported that the Australian alleged to be the father of both children has a criminal record for child abuse.

Pattaramon Chanbua claims she was left to care for Gammy after the Australian and his wife took their daughter home but abandoned him. Gammy was born with Down syndrome and a hole in his heart.

Supreme court documents seen by Australian Associated Press show that the man, who is in his 50s but whose name has yet to be made public, previously abused at least three girls under the age of 13.

He was jailed in the late 1990s for sexually molesting two girls under the age of 10 and was sentenced to three years behind bars.

While serving time for that crime, he was charged with six counts of indecently dealing with a child under the age of 13 and was convicted and sentenced again.

The Nine Network has reported that the father’s wife confirmed her husband had a conviction.

Ms Pattaramon claims the Western Australia-based couple took their healthy baby girl home from Thailand but left Gammy when the twins were born six months ago. She says the couple had requested Gammy be aborted when she was seven months pregnant and they had learned of his Down syndrome. The couple have told Channel Nine and ABC they were not aware their daughter had a twin brother. A birth certificate Channel Nine says it has seen had Ms Pattaramon’s name on it, as well as the same date of birth as Gammy.

“I am in shock after hearing this story,” Ms Pattaramon told Fairfax Media after being told of the alleged father’s criminal conviction. “I am very worried about my baby girl. I need help from anyone who can bring my girl back to me as soon as possible . . . This news make me sick. I will take care of my twin babies. I will not give her or him to any family that wants a baby.”

Exhaustion

Ms Pattaramon is refusing further one-on-one media interviews, citing exhaustion, and saying she is “too upset” to do them as she “can’t believe” what the Australian parents are saying.

She previously said she had never met the couple but that when they came to Thailand to collect their daughter they refused to buy milk for Gammy or hold him.

The couple described their experience with the Thai surrogacy agency as “traumatising” and said they had been told it had shut down.

Ms Pattaramon said she was going to file a police complaint on Monday against the agency but failed to do so and instead attacked the Australian couple, saying she wanted to sue them and asking them to do a joint media appearance with her.

More than $200,000 has been raised to help cover Gammy's expenses, particularly his medical ones, with the charity Hands Across the Water handling the money and in the process of setting up a trust to cover costs such as his education in the future. – (Guardian service/agencies)