Surrogate Mother on the Hook for Child Support

Many people by now have probably heard about Sherri Shepherd’s divorce and the drama she is having because of the surrogate that was carrying a child she and her ex were supposed to raise together. A new development in that case might have some of our California readers shaking their heads.

As many people know, when the divorce of Lamar Sally and Sherri Shepherd was announced, the surrogate was already pregnant with a child the couple was supposed to raise together. At the time of the divorce, Shepherd decided that she didn’t want to have any part in raising the child. Sally, however, still wanted to raise Lamar Jr.

Lamar Jr. was conceived using a donated egg and Sally’s sperm, so Shepherd doesn’t have any biological tie to the child. Shepherd claims that she was defrauded into signing the papers for surrogacy. She claims that Sally was trying to dupe her into having to pay child support.

In the most recent development in the case, it has come to light that the surrogate mother is being forced to pay child support for the child. Since her name is on the child’s birth certificate, she is on the hook to pay for the child. That came to light when Sally applied to get Medi-Cal for the child.

The surrogate says that she is angry with Shepherd. She doesn’t feel like she should have to pay for the child who she carried as a surrogate. This is one case that shows how important it is for anyone who is participating in a surrogate pregnancy have the proper protections in place to ensure the surrogate won’t be liable for child support.

Source: New York Daily News, “Sherri Shepherd’s surrogate speaks out for the first time: ‘How can she act like this baby is nonexistent’” Elizabeth Vanmetre, Jan. 29, 2015