Devastating new blow for Sydney tradie Dan Gaut’s heartbreaking tug of love over his newborn baby daughter – as his US-based girlfriend delivers crushing decision

A proud father has been dealt a fresh blow in his bid to gain custody of his newborn daughter after his former girlfriend reneged on a deal to hand her over to him.

Carpenter Dan Gaut, from Sydney’s north, was thrilled about the impending birth until his pregnant girlfriend, Liv, suddenly returned to the US without him.

She has since rekindled a relationship with a former partner and announced she would be putting the baby up for adoption.

But Mr Gaut’s ex agreed to legally give the child over to him permanently if he flew over to be with her during or shortly after the birth in March.

Now the tradie has revealed his ex has had a gut-wrenching change of heart and decided to keep baby Ana instead.

‘I feel heartbroken and empty as I’m forced to leave America alone,’ Mr Gaut revealed in an emotional Instagram post.

‘Liv has changed her mind and wants to keep Ana in the States and be her primary caregiver. 

‘I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who supported me on this journey.’

He added: ‘I will use the remaining donations to seek legal representation in Austin and to visit Ana as often as I can.

‘I still hold strong the vision of Ana growing up in Australia in the not too distant future.’

Mr Gaut met his ex while holidaying in San Francisco in early 2023, before she followed him back to Australia and their whirlwind romance began.

He told A Current Affair in February that the pair were deeply in love and decided to have a baby together.

‘She was saying, “There’s nothing in Texas for me anymore…all my heart and energy is in Australia”,’ he said.

But things changed after she became pregnant. Liv started feeling homesick, and planned a quick trip to Texas to be with her support network, he said.

But she opted to remain in the US. She told Mr Gaut she and their unborn baby were never coming back, and she wanted to have their child adopted at birth.

‘She was starting to send me adoption options for people that she knew in Texas, and she was sending me the links to the Instagram page,’ he told ACA at the time.

‘And I was like, ‘No, this is wrong, stop, don’t promise her to anyone.’

Dan flew to the US last month where he was united with his daughter and planned to bring her home with him to Australia.

Liv has reunited with her ex partner and plans to remain in Texas but he says she had expressed an interest in continuing to be part of her daughter’s life.

‘We don’t know how it’s going to go but she’s very supportive of me bringing the baby over [to Australia],’ he told ACA before the crushing change of mind.

A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign was set up by Mr Gaut’s friends to help with travel and immigration costs.

‘I don’t know how I will do this, but I do know that I will do everything I can to bring my daughter home and shower her with love and acceptance,’ Mr Gaut said on the GoFundMe.

‘Every child should know they are loved and wanted. I just want to be the best Dad that I can possibly be. I want to be there every step of the way for my little Ana.’

The fundraiser had raised over $34,000.