West Valley woman accused of extorting money from couple while carrying their surrogate baby

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A West Valley woman was in a surrogacy agreement with adoptive parents from Washington DC and has now been charged with stealing money from them.

33-year-old Teresa Mertes from West Valley is facing three major charges: theft by extortion, attempted theft by extortion, and attempted theft by deception. 

“This is probably the only case we have filed of this kind in the last 20-25 years,” Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney said. “What’s clear based on the evidence presented to us is she was using the surrogacy and her pregnancy per the agreement to extort more money from them.”

Gill said the extra money she asked for wasn’t necessary.  

“She had threatened to terminate the pregnancy if they hadn’t paid $7,000 so under that threat, they gave her an additional $2,500,” Gill said. 

That is when they say Mertes called the couple a second time asking for even more. 

“Saying she had miscarried, and she would not release medical records or the remains unless they paid her more money, so she attempted to take more money from them,” Gill said. 

Police said that miscarriage never actually happened.  

“She was willing to not only extort that money under the threat of terminating the pregnancy, but she was also willing to lie to increase the amount of money coming from them,” Gill said. 

The District Attorney’s office says Mertes did give birth to the baby and the baby is now living with the adoptive family in DC.