Couple denies abandoning surrogate-born baby

Sydney - An Australian couple has denied that they abandoned their son born with Down syndrome to a Thai surrogate.

David and Wendy Farnell said in an interview on Sunday that the boy's surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, insisted she be allowed to keep the boy and that she threatened to also keep his twin sister.

Pattaramon has accused the Farnells of leaving her with the infant boy, while taking his healthy twin back to Australia.

David Farnell told Australia's 60 Minutes that he and his wife had to return to Australia with the healthy child because they were worried that Pattaramon would insist on keeping her, too.

The case has focused global attention on the largely unregulated surrogacy industry in Thailand.