Feature

The 10-year-old Mexican girl who gave birth

Authorities are investigating whether the young girl was raped in a case that, unfortunately, isn't unique in recent years

A 10-year-old Mexican girl recently gave birth to a baby boy after a life-threatening, 31-week pregnancy. Sadly, there have been several similar cases in the last two years. Here, a brief guide:

First, are the girl and her baby okay?
So far. The unidentified girl faced dangerous complications, including seizures, when she arrived at Women's Hospital in the city of Puebla, Mexico, on Oct. 22. The baby was delivered safely by caesarean section, and the girl was able to return home. The infant, who weighed just 3.3 pounds, is in the intensive care unit recovering from pneumonia. His mother goes to the hospital every day to breast-feed.

How are authorities investigating this troubling case?
Hospital workers alerted the Puebla State Attorney General's Office, which is conducting an investigation to determine whether the child was raped. The state's legal age of consent is 12.

Was abortion considered?
Apparently not. In 2009, state lawmakers passed a measure protecting the right to life "from the moment of conception to natural death, except in cases foreseen by law." So doctors could not have performed an abortion unless they were sure the girl had been raped.

And there have been other cases like this?
Yes. Last year, an 11-year-old girl identified in news reports only as Amalia gave birth to a child two weeks prematurely. Amalia told her mother she had been raped repeatedly by her stepfather when she was 10. She thought she couldn't get an abortion under the city of Cancún's strict abortion laws. But women's rights groups said that was only because doctors failed to tell Amalia and her family that there was an exception for rape victims. In another case — perhaps the most widely publicized of the bunch — a 13-year-old rape victim in Baja California was denied an abortion by medical authorities in 1999, even though the law should have given her that option. She had the baby, and the government eventually paid the young mother $32,000 in reparations.

SourcesDaily Mail, Daily News, LifeSiteNews

Recommended

Why are U.S. troops still in Somalia?
An illustrated collage of U.S. troops, Somalia's outline, and palm trees
In depth

Why are U.S. troops still in Somalia?

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi sentenced to 2 years over Modi quip
Rahul Gandhi
Modi operandi

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi sentenced to 2 years over Modi quip

In rural Madagascar, a clean water tap empowers woman to follow her dream
Honorine at her restaurant.
life changing

In rural Madagascar, a clean water tap empowers woman to follow her dream

Scientists sequence Beethoven's DNA, 200 years after his death
Ludwig van Beethoven
Looking into Ludwig

Scientists sequence Beethoven's DNA, 200 years after his death

Most Popular

DeSantis' no good, very bad week
Ron DeSantis at a podium
Behind the scenes

DeSantis' no good, very bad week

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses
Ukrainian tank fires near Bakhmut
Attrition

Russia's spring Ukraine offensive may be winding down amid heavy losses

Essential molecules for life may have been 'delivered' to Earth from space
Asteroid Ryugu.
alien invasion

Essential molecules for life may have been 'delivered' to Earth from space