A few years ago, Jessica Bartholomew was contracted via a surrogacy agency to carry a baby for former The View co-host Sherri Shepherd and her then-husband Lamar Sally. Jessica has since delivered Lamar Jr, who was created with Lamar’s sperm and another woman’s egg as Sherri’s eggs were not viable.
Jessica is now speaking out for the first time about Sherri’s decision not to be a part of Lamar Jr.’s life. The 23-year-old waitress says she was not informed that Shepherd had reneged on the surrogacy agreement.
She tells Inside Edition, “I am angry with Sherri because she never once contacted me to tell me what was happening. It was kind of like I was left out in the cold.”
“Because [Shepherd] doesn’t want to be a part of the baby’s life, I have to pick up all the slack with my name being on the birth certificate, a noncustodial parent, medical bills. I’m still considered the mother of a child that’s not mine.”
Since there was no mother at the birth, Jessica’s name was written down on the birth certificate. “I am now listed as a noncustodial parent in California. I have a child support case coming against me now,” she says.
The child support case resulted after Lamar applied for Medi-Cal, a California state program that provides free or low-cost health coverage for children with limited income and resources.
Lamar is sympathetic and tells Inside Edition: “[Jessica] must be going through hell. I really feel sorry for her. I just want to apologize for putting her in the middle.”
Sherri, who filed for divorce in May last year, claims that Lamar tricked her into signing surrogacy papers in order to secure child support.
SOurce: Dailymailonline via Inside Edition
