Scandals

McKenna West is firing back at the biological parents of baby "Gabriel" ... denying their claim that she is trying to get child support from them ... TMZ has learned.

In new court docs, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, the California couple who hired McKenna to be their surrogate for the child they call "Rumi," claim McKenna wants them to pay child support.

They also claim her lawyer requested they cover her legal fees and support.

They note, however, that McKenna has not made any allegations that they are unfit parents.

A Newport Beach police officer wasn't going to waste any time when he saw a group of dogs baking in a car ... and he quickly busted out a window to save the pooches.

Check out the footage ... as you can see from the cop's body cam from May 18, shared today by the department as a serious reminder of the danger ... the dogs were clearly distressed, with the window only slightly cracked ... while some were in cages.

The pooches were checked out by a vet after they were saved ... and all had body temperature levels that can be deadly for dogs.

1:43 PM -- Al Sharpton tells TMZ ... "I welcome the lawsuit and will have my attorneys be in touch with theirs to arrange for them to serve me so we can get in court."

Sharpton says ... "I convened a prayer vigil on what would have been Nolan's 19th birthday and three of the young men joined the Zoom and I asked them to come forward. While I did not know their names, so I did not defame them, we have a right and a duty to raise questions that were raised to me by Nolan's parents."

He continues ... "From the onset of this case, I publicly stated that I welcomed any litigation that would legally require every person that was with Nolan Wells before his death to be forced to answer questions under oath. Litigation requires depositions, discovery and a complete examination of the facts."

Sharpton concludes ... "I have been involved in the case for one sole reason: To help Nolan's parents Christine and Elmore find the truth in what happened to their beloved son through a transparent and accountable investigation. If a lawsuit is a catalyst for the truth, then it is welcomed and it will not deter NAN or me from continuing to stand with the family in their pursuit of justice."

Nolan Wells' friends are tired of Reverend Al Sharpton insinuating they had something to do with his death ... and they've sent a legal letter demanding he stop.

The legal team representing Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour sent the letter to the reverend Friday ... claiming they're ready to file a civil lawsuit against him for making repeated false statements suggesting that they had something to do with Nolan's death.

The lawyers highlight a series of statements made by Sharpton -- including during an interview with TMZ last month -- which they say imply the three friends aren't being forthcoming -- and may even have something to do with Nolan's death.

Lindsay Clancy's supporters turned out in force Thursday morning, as her murder trial entered Day 17 ... with dozens gathering outside the Massachusetts courthouse in a show of solidarity for the mom accused of murdering her three young children.

Many of the supporters wore pink and held signs as they stood outside Plymouth Superior Courthouse. Another group also gathered at Tewksbury State Hospital, where Clancy remains hospitalized.

They even crossed paths with Clancy's defense attorney -- Kevin Reddington -- who spoke to reporters and said his client is so "beat up" and just "so sad."

Surrogate McKenna West is scoffing at the biological parents being upset at her for naming the newborn baby Gabriel amid their nasty court battle ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, McKenna asked the court to toss the counterclaims brought by Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed ... after they demanded more than $100,000 in damages.

Nausheen and Omar alleged they suffered emotional distress and other damages from the ordeal McKenna put them through when she refused to abort the baby against their wishes after finding out it had a heart defect.

McKenna flew to Texas to give birth, but the biological parents have been temporarily awarded custody and decision-making authority over the baby. The court battle remains ongoing.

In her new filing, McKenna said Nausheen and Omar claim McKenna is violating their surrogacy agreement by calling the baby Gabriel. Nausheen and Omar insist the baby's name is Rumi.

Princess Diana's death was ruled an accident, but there's haunting evidence she may have been the victim of foul play, which is the subject of "Celebrity Crime Scene: Princess Diana."

Dodi Fayed's father claims Diana and Dodi told him she was pregnant, and that would have posed a big problem for the royal family. Prince Philip in particular, who was known to have racist tendencies, would not have taken kindly to the future king of England having a Muslim step-sibling.

Using never-before-seen A.I. technology, the show re-creates the crash from multiple points of view, and 2 mysterious cars factor into theories that this was not an accident at all. One car appeared to force Henri Paul, the driver, into the tunnel, which then collided with a Fiat before crashing into the 13th pillar.

Nolan Wells would have turned 19 today ... and three of the friends who were with him before his death joined a virtual vigil honoring his life.

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour participated in the National Action Network's noon prayer vigil for Nolan ... appearing on Zoom with their cameras on and microphones muted.

Attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik, who represents the three friends, tells TMZ ... they wanted to honor Nolan on his birthday ... and he shared a statement from the young men.

The biological parents of the child born by surrogate McKenna West are demanding a hefty sum in damages for her "outrageous conduct" ... TMZ has learned.

We obtained the countersuit Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed filed against McKenna weeks before McKenna gave birth to their child in Texas. McKenna named the baby "Gabriel" while the biological parents say the kid's name is Rumi.

In the suit, Nausheen and Omar are asking a judge to award them more than $100K in damages from McKenna for breaching the deal ... plus unspecified damages for the "malicious, outrageous conduct" they believe she committed.

New legal drama with McKenna West and baby Gabriel ... the surrogacy company she's suing for allegedly threatening to force an abortion is firing back ... and they want her lawsuit thrown out of court.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ, Vicki Ferrara, who runs Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists, denies all claims of wrongdoing in the case brought by McKenna in Alaska.

You'll recall ... McKenna was the surrogate for Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, who sought to terminate the pregnancy after doctors determined the baby had a heart defect.

McKenna initially scheduled an abortion but later refused and flew to Texas to have the baby.

The NAACP joined Nolan Wells' family in their legal fight for answers ... and the organization is saying enough is enough as questions swirl about the teen's mysterious death.

The NAACP said Monday it has offered additional investigative resources to Nolan's family ... demanding "truth and transparency" in the case that's captivated the nation.

As you know, Nolan went missing after taking a boat out to Horn Island with friends on the Fourth of July. His body was found days later in the water, near where he was last seen alive.

2:30 PM PT -- Lee Budner, attorney for the child's biological parents, tells TMZ ... the baby underwent surgery this morning and "is now recuperating under the loving care of his parents and his heroic team of doctors, nurses, and medical staff."

Budner tells us ... "This is the last update on Rumi's health that his family intends to share. His condition remains critical and complex, and his family seeks privacy in caring for their son on his long road to recovery."

He adds ... "Meanwhile, Ms. West continues to assert baseless claims for custody of Rumi, in violation of multiple courts orders out of both Alaska and California. We look forward to quickly defeating those claims as Rumi's parents continue to focus on his health and safety above all else."

We're told the Norwood procedure is the first of three surgeries required within the first several years of life for children born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

The biological parents who wanted their surrogate to terminate the pregnancy are now taking steps to keep their newborn alive ... telling a judge they've decided their son will undergo major heart surgery.

According to a court filing, obtained by TMZ, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed have elected to have the baby undergo the Norwood procedure after consulting with doctors at Children's Health.

The Norwood procedure is a complex open-heart surgery performed on newborns with hypoplastic left heart syndrome -- the condition doctors discovered during the pregnancy. It helps the side of the heart that works pump blood through the body.

The granny who appeared to pull a gun on a suspected Ross shoplifter has been tracked down by police ... but she's not necessarily in the clear, TMZ has learned.

A Tucson Police Department PIO tells TMZ ... officers have made contact with the armed bystander seen in the viral video -- and a potential aggravated-assault investigation could hinge on cops finding the alleged thief.

Police tell us the August 1 incident began with a reported shoplifting around 10 AM. Officers responded, collected statements and reviewed video ... but the suspect was nowhere to be found.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Lindsay Clancy's parents as they continue standing by their daughter during her ongoing criminal case in Massachusetts, TMZ has learned.

The Musgrove Family Fund, a GoFundMe campaign with a $2 million goal, benefits Lindsay's parents Mike and Paula Musgrove -- it's intended to help the couple recover from the financial strain they've experienced while supporting Lindsay throughout her legal proceedings.

A GoFundMe spokesperson confirms to TMZ, saying the fundraiser has been verified and in connected to Clancy.

Surrogate McKenna West's online fundraiser is closing in on $80,000 in donations, as the surrogate continues her legal fight following the birth of the baby at the center of a bitter surrogacy dispute.

West's self-described friend -- Ellen Fisher -- launched the GiveSendGo campaign to help the single mom with legal fees, travel, living expenses and costs associated with caring for her two children. The fundraiser is approaching the $80,000 mark with a goal of $100K.

In the fundraiser, Ellen gives her account of how West allegedly found herself in a financial and legal bind after doctors discovered the baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or HLHS ... claiming West was told to schedule an abortion after the diagnosis and was "terrified," believing she could face financial consequences and potentially a lawsuit if she refused.

Jason Arday -- the former Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism who was found dead in London Friday -- feared leaving the house amid the media scrutiny just before he died ... according to a longtime friend.

Simon Baron-Cohen, the director of the Autism Research Center at the University of Cambridge, appeared on BBC Radio 4's "Today" Saturday ... and he discussed his last conversation with Arday, which he says took place hours before he passed.

Baron-Cohen says Arday confided in him that he was afraid to leave home ... because he felt "bombarded" by the media calling him a fraud.

CBS News Chief Correspondent Matt Gutman has reportedly been accused of harassment by a former colleague.

The allegations are part of a broader wrongful termination lawsuit against ABC News by former ABC field producer Samira Said ... who says she worked with Gutman while employed by ABC between 2021 and 2025. Gutman joined CBS in January 2026.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Los Angeles and reviewed by TMZ, accuses Gutman of being inappropriate on two occasions. During one instance, Said accuses Gutman of initiating a discussion with her and a group of male employees in which they would rate a female correspondent’s appearance, "reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes."