Cold Rejection: Aussie Nurse Faces 18‑Month Jail Term for Surrogacy Hustle
In a sting that rattled the Southeast Asian cosche, Melbourne‑bred nurse Tammy Davis‑Charles lost a fight to a court in Phnom Pheng and kept a sentence that had already felt like a trip down the wrong lane.
What Ever Happened?
- She was nabbed in November 2016, a couple of sprints after Cambodia slapped a blanket ban on commercial surrogacy.
- She’d been recruiting over two dozen Cambodian mothers to sell parenthood for roughly $10,000 apiece.
- Her two local colleagues shared the same fate and got the same 18‑month stint.
How the Court Pitched It
Judge Kim Dany rapped the appeal. “This is a fair, even generous sentence,” she told the panel, underscoring that the punishment was already “lenient.” With the decree firmly in place, the judge had little wiggle room.
Dress Code & Silence
Our heroine stepped out in a navy‑blue prison uniform—because fashion isn’t a thing when you’re stuck behind bars—didn’t bother to speak to the press, and looked as neutral as a blank canvas.
Final Upshot
With a last‑minute appeal cancelled by the Supreme Court, her future is sealed.
Why a Surrogate Boom Hit Cambodia
- Australia sent hopeful clients because Thailand & India had tightened their regulations.
- Many wanted quick, cheap hookups — a place with a flurry of inexpensive medical care and plenty of low‑income women ready to roll.
- Nationwide, the industry had no say–stop for gay or single parents, making it a magnet for recruiters.
The Inside Scoop
Experts warn that in places like Cambodia, the interchange can feel more like a factory than a family kitchen. While the government tried to stop the process, the industry got a taste — later spilling into Laos, where the same murky network continues to thrive.
And the Moral?
There’s a bonkers romance between low‑cost Medicine‑Madness and high‑pay “parenthood.” The underlying drama? A blood‑threat that places economic power into the hands of women with few choices—and technology in the pocket of investors craving a cage of their own kids.
