Will Facebook Oculus Rift Bring the Fiction of ‘Surrogates’ to Reality?
Software designer Julian Kantor (L), who created "The Recital" takes a picture of Jonathan Feng (R) as he uses the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset to experience his program during E3 in Los Angeles, California June 12, 2013. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas Reuters

An Australian man, who abandoned his newborn surrogate child Gammy in Thailand after discovering that the baby had Down Syndrome, was earlier convicted of child sex offences in Australia.

Gammy, whose Australian adoptive parents left him with his 21-year-old surrogate mother Pattharamon Janbua on discovering that he had Down Syndrome, has been garnering a lot of attention since the time his story came to light. Gammy's biological father was previously jailed for "indecently dealing with a child under the age of 13 in 1998," reported Australia's Channel Nine, thus raising significant questions about the oversight of international surrogacy. The report also said that the man's wife is of an Asian origin, and though she is aware of the conviction, she has chosen to ignore it, saying "that he is a good man."

Considering the kind of support that Gammy's case has been garnering, the Australian authorities are keenly administering international child surrogacy. Scott Morrison, the Australian immigration minister said that though it's too early to promise, the authorities are trying to see if the child would be eligible for Australian citizenship. "We are dealing with something that has happened in another country's jurisdiction. It is terrible, just absolutely horrible and heartbreaking," concluded Morrison.

There is a good chance of Gammy being united with his twin sister in Australia. Meanwhile, Gammy's surrogate Thai mother, Janbua, is extremely thankful for the support and promised that she would "make sure all the money, every single Baht, is well spent for the best of the baby." Gammy has already received $200,000 as donation from people across the globe.

Reacting to Gammy's Australian adoptive parents' claim to ABC News that they only knew about the little girl, and not her twin brother, Janbua said that the couple had asked her to abort the boy when he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome in the womb. However, Pattharamon Janbua refused and offered to take care of both the babies if they did not want. The couple later agreed to take the baby girl with them.

Though offers to adopt the six-month-old Gammy have been pouring in, Janbua declared that she will not give the baby to anybody. "I will not allow them to come to take my baby away, I love him," said the Thai mother.