Misc.: Mary Beth Whitehead

Mary Beth Whitehead was the surrogate mother who in 1986, gave birth to a daughter known to the U.S. public as "Baby M."

Whitehead, who became pregnant via artificial insemination, had second thoughts about her arrangement with the William Stern family and decided to keep the baby.

In a New Jersey trial, the court found for the Sterns. Whitehead appealed, and the Supreme Court of New Jersey overturned the rial court's decision. On remand, the ruling was custody for William Stern, with visiting rights granted to Whitehead.

This was a very sad case, and one that received heavy media attention at the time.