Woman Who Gave Birth to Her 13th Child at 62 Faces Charges Over Surrogacy in Unexpected Case

Mother faces serious charges over surrogacy fraud case

Twins living in foster care

Legal case surprises authorities

According to People en Español, MaryBeth Lewis, a 68-year-old nurse and mother of 13 children, is facing a legal process that has drawn the attention of authorities and experts.

Back in 2010, she made local news after the birth of her eighth child in Elma, New York.

She has used various assisted reproduction methods for years, combining her own embryos and donor-egg fertilization.

In 2023, she decided to use a surrogate mother — a choice that ultimately led to the investigation surrounding this surrogacy fraud case.

Surrogacy Fraud Accusations Complicate Custody of the Twins

In NY, 68-yr-old MaryBeth Lewis forged her husband’s signature to hire a surrogate, create two babies via donor gametes, pay $160 K, and now faces 30 felony counts while the twins remain in foster care. https://t.co/oVZiWJZtBl

— UniversalSurrogacyAbolition (@CasaDeclaration) November 3, 2025

The conflict began when authorities stated that MaryBeth forged her husband Bob’s signature in the surrogacy agreement.

This alleged irregularity opened the door to charges of forgery, identity theft, and second-degree kidnapping.

The twins, born via donated embryo, are currently living with foster parents while authorities investigate.

The district attorney’s office is seeking to prevent the couple from obtaining custody due to the seriousness of the accusations tied to the surrogacy fraud case.

Woman Faces Surrogacy Charges and Rejects Agreements

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Despite offers presented by authorities to resolve the case, MaryBeth has refused to accept them.

She insists that her only intention has been to protect her children and denies committing fraud.

Her husband Bob supports her in the legal battle, and even the surrogate mother backs her version of events.

The case has surprised lawyers and specialists due to its unusual nature within the judicial system.

Custody Remains in Dispute as Debate Grows

Surrogacy fraud case in New York – PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

A judge ruled that the Lewis couple are the legal parents, but the foster parents have appealed the decision.

The twins — whose names and location remain protected — turned two this month.

The case has reignited debate about surrogacy regulations and the risk of fraud in such processes.

MaryBeth has expressed that if she regains custody, she plans to change the children’s names as part of a new beginning for her family.