Surrogacy Battle Continues in Florida
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/8/3/surrogate_custody_battle_continues.htmlA judge denied Tom and Gwyn Lamitina?s motion Friday for temporary custody?and visitation rights in a custody battle with a surrogate mother in Jacksonville.The Lamitina's, who reside in Seminole County, said they found Stephanie Eckard on a Web site called Surrogate Mothers Online. The Lamitina?s entered into a traditional surrogacy using Eckard's egg.The couple alleges Eckard decided to keep the baby, and began demanding child support, health insurance and additional life insurance for the child.????Eckard's attorney said she told the Lamitina's she wanted to keep the child before it was born.???A final hearing will be held at a later date to determine final custody and how much child support Eckard is entitled to, if any.
I have known Stephanie for many years and I see no reason to question this woman on any action she may or may not take. I have watched her give of herself time and time again to others in need. She is a fine upstanding christian woman of whom I am proud to know and love.
Wendy Parker
I feel like I'm on a quest.....Someone needs to champion her and I think it may be me.
This woman is not a monster. She is not a lesbian. She is not trailer trash. She is not a gold digger. She is not all the terrible things people keep tossing out there without regard to her or anyone else's feelings. She is a mom, a teacher, a volunteer, a friend and a member of her church. She had her reasons and those reasons were enough for the State of Florida to back her up. Did anyone ever think that maybe there is something that you don't know? Maybe the Lamitinas aren't the perfect couple they profess to be? Remember, this woman has a positive history of surrogacy.
Think on it a while.
Wendy