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A girl in Spain has become one of the world’s youngest mothers after giving birth to a healthy baby last week at just age ten. The baby, weighing a healthy 6lb 6oz, was born naturally at a hospital in Jerez de la Frontera in Southern Spain. Both mother and baby have been allowed out of the hospital and are in good health, but Spanish social services are said to be investigating the case.
The UK’s Daily Mail reported this morning that Spanish local media had described the girl as a Romanian immigrant who had arrived in Spain already …
… pregnant. The girl’s mother also reportedly told hospital staff that her daughter lived independently with her boyfriend in their home country, and that she was happy about her daughter giving birth at such a young age, saying that such occurrences were ‘something common in my country.’
Micaela Navarro, the region’s social affairs minister, said that the Spanish authorities only became aware of the case, from hospital staff, three days after the birth. She gave a statement to the media, saying:
‘The important thing is that both mother and baby are cared for perfectly.If not, the young mother and her child could be looked after by a grandparent of aunt and uncle.’
Navarro also told reporters that the father of the girl’s baby is also a minor, but declined to give any further details such as the sex of the baby. She did add, however, that authorities do not consider this a case of rape and that no criminal investigation is underway. Under Spanish law, having consensual sex with someone under age 13 is classified as statutory rape and child abuse, but as the father of the baby is reportedly also a minor, it is not clear if he can be charged.
This is just… so sad. I can’t comprehend having a baby now, at 23, let alone thirteen years ago. No matter what the cultural norms of a person’s home country or the average age for giving birth, aged ten is just far too young an age at which to become a parent. Quite apart from the fact that, at aged 10, girls are not yet fully developed physically, they are also still children themselves.
The story, here in the UK, has attracted a similar type of reaction to mine, from most parts – public opinion seems to be that a ten year old cannot look after a newborn and that this is a very sad and shocking case. In even more outraged corners of public opinion, some are calling for the girl’s mother to be prosecuted, claiming that for her to allow her daughter to leave home and have unprotected sex at such a young age is tantamount to child abuse. I can see where that line of thinking comes from.
The way see it, this is just… so sad. It’s a shocking loss of childhood and youth, and I can’t help but think of what will happen to the newborn baby and her ten year old mother later in their lives. What do you guys think?
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I’m Romanian, and even though I was born and raised in America, I KNOW that it’s not normal for kids to have babies when they’re 10 years old. My mom lived there till she was 29, and some of her family still lives there. 10 year olds are not regularly have children in Romania.
This is so messed up. And quite honestly, I seriously doubt that this is the norm in Romania. 10? Really? I didn’t get my period until I was 13, and unless all the girls in Romania are menstruating at age 9 and being pawned off to random 12 year old boys, I doubt that this is normal.
This is sick, especially the fact that the mother encouraged the whole thing. 10 year olds having babies is not normal anywhere, including Romania.
My oldest daughter just turned 10. Although she no longer plays with toys so much, he interest are still very childish. There is no way that she is physically, emotionally or psycologically prepared for motherhood. Not to mention financially. I am mortified to think that any mother in any culture can think this is normal.
Quite alarming and that happens to be a serious issue. This has to do with how the girl’s parents brought her. And what’s more shocking to that is her mother was even happy with what has happened. At a young age of 10, she deserve to enjoy her childhood. I feel bad for her.
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i played with legos until i was 12! okay maybe even last week….and im 25! this is out of control stupidity.
I’m pretty sure she just insulted every Romanian with that comment. Common? Hardly. This child looks absolutely miserable and embarrassed. Who in the hell lets their ten year old live with a boyfriend?! At first I thought this would have been a story about her being raped by someone older, but the fact that this was ENCOURAGED by her mom just tells me this poor girl never had a chance.
I’ve heard the girl was of gypsy Romanian origin. Gypsy communities have a totally different culture to their host countries’, even if they’ve lived there for generations, so I assume the grandmother meant it’s normal in (gypsy) Romania. Spanish gypsies have nothing to do with the white Spaniards. I still think it’s too much even for gypsy communities, where girls have kids at a very young age.
I don’t think this is common, or should be common, but I’m glad that her mother support her.
Child abuse is one thing and should not be tolerate at any cost, but accident happen and sexuality is what it is, they are some more precocious children than others, some are sooner than others, don’t throw rocks at them. Child sexual pleasure is very taboo, but I remember masturbating myself at very young age. I talk about it with other girls and same thing for them. I think this is normal that some children try some stuffs, discover their sexuality. Ignoring that is just denial.
They should have sexual education to protect themselves at least or something. I live in Canada and I think I was in elementary school when teachers begin to talk about it. We were laughing and everything, but at least we know what going on and the risks about it.
Roma ancestry occurred to me as a much more likely explanation of ‘normal where we come from’, but I hadn’t seen anything about it mentioned.
I’m not condoning ten year olds having babies. But let’s not infantilise them either. Sure, YOUR ten-year-old may be one year out of playing with dolls. And maybe YOU played with lego until you were twenty (nothing wrong with lego – why stop?).
But that doesn’t mean it’s all a ten year old is capable of. Childhood is a pretty modern idea, and something only the wealthy can afford. Right now in other parts of the world there is a ten year old who works all day to provide for his family. One who cares for her three younger siblings and her sick mother. One who is homeschooled in the mornings, and drives the pickup around the farm in the afternoons.
Children are capable of what they are permitted to do. Sadly for most north american children, that is practically nothing.
*just before anyone grossly misunderstands…
I am not suggesting that it is good for a child to be carrying adult family burdens as some of the examples I gave. I DO suggest that it is good for a child to have responsibilities and trust and the ability to learn skills, test them, use them, and problem-solve.
Yeah, Nance, kids masturbate. I discovered it at a very young age. It still doesn’t mean that kids should be sexually active at 10, because there is a very, very large difference between masturbating and fucking. And yes, I will throw rocks because no ten-year-old should be having sex. Ever. It’s just not ok. I don’t care how “mature” they are.
Just because a person has the ability to do something,doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do,or that they SHOULD do it.So just because someone has the ability to make a baby,doesn’t mean they should do it – no matter how young or old they are.It’s because of irresposibility like this,that the world is becoming a very scary and totally crazy place.
99% Im sure the girl was a Romanian gypsy. Im Romanian too btw. Because of these subhmans the whole world are mistaking us for them, which is a shame and outrageous. She should have been allowed an abortion, but hey, its the Catholic Spain were talking about and who cares that is abnormal for a child to get pregnant? They dont care, they need more obedient slaves. Religion and society needs them both. Sad what normality has got to be nowadays. Children having children is normal. Human rights anyone?
Besides, do u really think the girl is aged 10? I have a feeling she’s older. Mabe 13, 14? And be sure they have no birth certificate, no legal documents, how can they say she is 10? Im sure the prolife idiots are celebrating. Remember the case of the poor Peruvian girl LINA MEDINA? Instead of considering her a victim (of incest most probably), they glorify her. Because she gave birth to a child when she was 5 yo. Any other comment is useless.
Gipsies have their own stupid rules and they refuse to obey the rules of the society they live in and refuse to integrate. Sounds familiar? They sell their children for money/goods and they marry them while they are little. They are promised to each other so to say. A virgin girl is worth gold if they are rich. Who cares if she gives birth while still a child? They dont. Nor do us “the civilized people” as far as I can see. A few years ago there was a case of a gypsy girl, here in Romania. She was a 18 teenage beautiful and smart, one of the best pupils in her class (rare thing within the gypsy commnity). She was in love with a Romanian boy who had no idea she was a gypsy. When he found out, he left her. Besides, her family forced her to marry against her will while she wanted to study further and go to the University. There was no one to help her. No way out. She ended up by hanging herself…
uh huh, calling others ’subhumans’ is definitely the way to convince others of your argument.
Before going on about how she should have been allowed an abortion, was there even any note of her wanting or trying to get one?
Personally, I won’t listen to a criticism unless someone is called a subhuman.
@ Laura, Haha!
@XYZ, I love how you call gypsies subhuman one minute, then decry the sad tale of the gypsy girl who was left by her non-gypsy Romanian boyfriend when he discovered her background.
What?! Seems like you’d agree with him…
[...] on Girl Aged Ten Gives Birth to Healthy Baby in Spain “There is a very, very large difference between masturbating and [...]
I didn’t read a single word past “subhuman”. Gypsies were thrown into concentration camps along with the other “subhumans” in the Holocaust; with the Jews and the gays and the disabled. It is sickening that you would refer to any human being on this earth as “subhuman”. It says way more about you than anyone else. Go read Mein Kampf or vandalize a synagogue; I don’t know what you’re doing on a feminist website. Aren’t women “subhuman” also?
This is me on the cover of Time Magazine 1985 ,I have no idea why my cover is being shown ……I was never molested or raped and i am really thinking about turning this over to a lawyer!!! I live in the US and if anyone reads the inside of the mag they will know my pic should never have been used !!!!!!!!DEC 9 1985 ISSUE !!!!!
The subject of the posting is pregnancy in the young. If that is you, you had to have given consent to appear on the cover. That consent generally covers reprints.
Please tell me what rape and molestation have to do with anything?